What Does It Mean for a Coach to “Lose the Room”?
Patrick Roy speaks during a New York Islanders press conference after being named head coach on January 21, 2024. Photo by TVA Nouvelles
Written by Josie Dinonsie
The phrase “losing the room” is often heard after a coach is fired. It implies that every player on the roster has collectively stopped listening to and trusting their coach. Usually, there isn't one specific moment that makes a coach “lose the room,” though fans and other outsiders may think they can pinpoint a moment of downfall. The truth is, nobody besides the players and staff knows what goes on behind locker room doors; every case is unique.
In recent years, in particular, some coaches come to mind when thinking of “losing the room.” Peter Laviolette’s time with the Rangers ended with expressed frustration. Patrick Roy was abruptly fired during a playoff push for the Islanders. Jay Woodcroft was dismissed from Edmonton quickly into the 2023-24 season. They must have lost the room, right?
Their unique situations show that losing the room doesn't always mean being on a losing streak or getting fired. There are more elements to the story.
“I don't think us as players at any point didn't like Lavi or thought his message wasn't getting through, but it just seemed the execution of it was not there,” Rangers defenseman Adam Fox said.
Laviolette’s time with the Rangers came to an end after a steep drop from the top of the league to the bottom. In 2023-24, the Rangers had a Presidents' Trophy-winning season. The following season, they didn't make the playoffs. Though Laviolette was fired after the frustrating season, it quickly became clear that the players didn't resent or dislike him.
“Coaches are often looked at and blamed, so it’s tough. I loved Lavi (Laviolette). Obviously, another coaching change is always hard,” Vincent Trochek said in sympathy for Laviolette.
This player response matters. It shows that there is a strong distinction between a team failing to execute and losing faith in its coach entirely.
“Something broke during the season and went the other way,” goaltender Igor Shesterkin stated.
Other postseason comments from the Rangers consisted of deeper communication issues within the organization, separate from the bench. Mika Zibanejad emphasized a lack of cohesion in the organization.
“This organization for us players doesn't work for the people that work above us. We have to work together as well… We have to communicate about things.”
It's clear now that there wasn't necessarily a group turn against Laviolette, but a team struggling to keep its head above water in a disorganized franchise.
Patrick Roy’s exit from the New York Islanders displays an even clearer depiction of why firing and “losing the room” aren't always correlated.
"Patrick hasn't lost the room," Islanders General Manager Mathieu Darche said. "It wasn't about guys don't want to play for him by any means. Guys respected Patrick. We just wanted to move it forward.”
Roy was fired from the Islanders in the midst of a playoff push late in the 2025-26 season. But numerous players and Islanders General Manager Mathieu Darche specifically denied the idea that Roy had been turned on in the locker room.
“I think his messaging this season has been on point and he's been able to read the room in a really good place and done his best to continue us on this journey,” Captain Anders Lee added.
These comments solidify that the Islanders organization and players can maintain a respectful relationship with the coach and recognize his qualities, all while deciding a switch-up would be beneficial. The phrase “losing the room” doesn't apply here.
Then there's Jay Woodcroft's firing by Edmonton. This situation challenges the idea of ‘losing the room’ head-on, with players strongly rejecting it.
"He never lost the room," Connor McDavid said. "I know the narrative out there, couldn't be further from the truth."
After a rough first 13 games of the 2023-24 season, Woodcroft was relieved of his duties by the Edmonton Oilers. Key leaders from the team directly pushed back against the idea of blaming the coach.
“I'm first on the list there. Our play needs to be better, it's the reason two good guys lost their job,” McDavid added, taking responsibility for the team’s struggles.
Leon Draisaitl agreed with McDavid’s comments, reinforcing that the players themselves needed to take responsibility for the team's poor start rather than placing the blame on Woodcroft.
“There is no way (Woodcroft) lost anyone in here,” Draisaitl said. “Obviously us players, we're the ones on the ice and we were as prepared as any team in the league for any given night. It's on us to obviously be better.”
This support from the players is important because it eliminates the rhetoric that Woodcroft lost his job because of losing the players. It proves that the message wasn't the problem, but the players' poor performances and teamwork.
This case is the most notable of them all, challenging what it means to lose the room. It is the clearest example that there isn't a specific correlation between losing the room and getting fired.
In my opinion, the phrase “losing the room” should mean more of a breakdown of trust, poor communication, lack of courage in the team, and non-aligned expectations and goals. The term also should not automatically be a label placed on a coach who's been fired.
All three of these recent cases challenge the phrase by showing that sometimes a coach firing is simply the need for a new voice and a clean slate. Most importantly, they proved that a coach can lose his job without losing the people in the locker room. A firing can tell us that an organization wants a change, but it cannot tell us whether the players collectively stopped believing in their coach.
