Trotz ready to battle former club: 'It will be a hell of a series' vs. Caps

Head coach Barry Trotz is looking forward to competing against his old team as his New York Islanders prepare for a clash with the Washington Capitals in the round of 16.

"I think it will be a hell of a series," Trotz said Sunday, according to The Athletic's Tarik El-Bashir. "Both teams are well-equipped to go at each other."

Trotz spent four seasons (2014-2018) as Washington's bench boss and led the Capitals to their first Stanley Cup in his final campaign with them.

The 58-year-old also coached the Capitals to back-to-back Presidents' Trophies in 2016 and 2017, and he earned the Jack Adams Award as the league's top bench boss in the former season.

Trotz won his second Jack Adams Award after his first season in Long Island in 2018-19. Under his tutelage, the Islanders have reached the round of 16 in consecutive campaigns for just the second time in the post-lockout era.

New York owns an 83-50-17 regular-season record over two campaigns with Trotz at the helm.

The Islanders won their play-in series against the Florida Panthers in four games to advance.