The New York Islanders have terminated the contract of goaltending coach Piero Greco after a successful run of three consecutive wins, just six games into his seventh season with the team. The decision, announced by general manager Mathieu Darche, came as a surprise to many, with Sergei Naumovs from Bridgeport of the American Hockey League being promoted to fill the role.
Naumovs, a Latvian coach, has been with Bridgeport since May 2024 and has a strong coaching history with goaltender Ilya Sorokin, dating back to their time together at CSKA Moscow in the KHL from 2018-20. Sorokin’s performance metrics, with a 3.90 goals-against average and a .873 save percentage, place him among the lower ranks in the NHL for netminders who have played in at least four games.
Darche acknowledged Greco’s contributions over the past seven years but emphasized the need for a fresh start with the team’s goalies at this time. Despite Sorokin’s significant contract through 2032, Darche clarified that the decision to make a coaching change was solely his and not influenced by the player. He mentioned that Sorokin was not consulted before the decision was made.
Darche also provided an update on backup goaltender Semyon Varlamov, noting his ongoing progress towards returning from knee surgery.