How Peter DeBoer Can Help the NY Islanders Get Back to Playoff Hockey

Will Peter DeBoer be part of the reason the New York Islanders are able to get back into the playoffs?

Apr 11, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders head coach Peter DeBoer speaks to the media after their game against the Ottawa Senators at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Alexander Wohl-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Islanders will be getting set for a seemingly important season for the franchise after coming up just short of making the playoffs last year. 

Despite exceeding expectations for much of the season, the Islanders struggled down the stretch and ultimately fell short of making the postseason by a few games. 

A 91-point season is certainly a good accomplishment, and while the team had a winning record, falling short in the Eastern Conference was a bit of a disappointment. 

Fortunately, the future is really bright for New York. This is a group that has seen the emergence of Matthew Schaefer into one of the best young players in the league, and now Mathieu Darche is going to be tasked with trying to build the team around him. 

This summer, the cap situation for the Islanders might not have been great, and that has caused some concern about what the upcoming season might look like for the franchise. 

However, at the end of last year, they were able to bring in a very well-respected coach in Peter DeBoer, who will be trying to take them back to the playoffs. 

DeBoer Can Be Man for the Job 

Apr 9, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders head coach Peter DeBoer speaks to the press following the team’s 5-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The 58-year-old coach is one of the most well-respected in the league and has had quite a bit of success everywhere he has been. In 1265 games on the bench, DeBoer has a 663-450-152 record. While it is very impressive to have a winning record in that number of games, he has also had quite a bit of playoff success. 

DeBoer has been able to reach the Stanley Cup Finals with two of the teams he coached. In the 2011-12 season, he was able to win the Eastern Conference with the New Jersey Devils. Furthermore, as the coach of the San Jose Sharks, he won the Western Conference during the 2015-16 campaign. 

Now, as he takes over a fairly mixed group for the Islanders in terms of youth and experience, this likely won’t be the year that New York is trying to win a Stanley Cup. 

The Islanders are seemingly willing to be patient with their young core, and barring them making a massive trade to add a star player, New York will be hoping to be a playoff contender. 

However, with DeBoer coming in, the expectation is that this will be an improved team. Fixing the power play should be the top priority and DeBoer will undoubtedly be focused in that area.