by Matthew Robley

Despite an eventful season for New York Islanders hockey, they fell short of the playoffs for the second consecutive season. After starting the season with abundant hope (fueled by number one pick Matthew Schaefer) and new management (GM Mathieu Darche), the Olympic break began which instigated a change in the entire team’s morale and momentum.

After a strong first half of the season, the Islanders came out of the Olympic break with three straight close wins, winning two of those games in overtime. At that point, the Islanders had a perfect 10-0 overtime record and the playoffs looked like a lock.

However, as March settled in, the Islanders began to drop important points, going from a playoff lock to a playoff question mark. At the trade deadline, the Islanders made moves to acquire two assets: Carson Soucy from the New York Rangers and Ondrej Palat from the New Jersey Devils. Palat struggled recording 1 goal and 4 assists over his 28 games with the Islanders with a plus/minus of a -6.

As the Islanders struggles continued into April, the team made a surprising move to fire head coach Patrick Roy and hire former Dallas Stars head coach Peter DeBoer. This move was met with mixed emotions from the Islanders’ fan base. Players such as Mat Barzal voiced their disappointment stating that the players have to take accountability for Roy’s firing. As losses mounted, New York fell out of playoff contention and the Flyers leapfrogged the Islanders to take the 3rd spot in the Metropolitan Division.

Although the season had a disappointing ending for the team and the fans, there were many positives to take out of the season. Rookie star Matthew Schaefer tied Brian Leech’s record for goals by a rookie defenseman (23 goals) and is the favorite for the Calder Trophy. In addition, young prospects such as Cole Eiserman, Quinn Finley, and Victor Eklund are on the cusp of making an impact at the NHL level.

The Islanders hold the 13th pick in the 2026 draft and will look to add even more young talent to the organization. Though the Islanders fell short once again, the combination of young and upcoming prospects along with key offseason decisions will determine whether this team can return to playoff form next season.