NY Islanders Have Four Members of Team Make NHL Player Tiers

Which New York Islanders players landed inside the top 150?

Feb 3, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders center Bo Horvat (14) celebrates his game winning overtime goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins with center Mathew Barzal (13) and defenseman Matthew Schaefer (48) at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Islanders enter the 2026-27 season with some expectations on the rise thanks to having Peter DeBoer in the box as head coach for a full season.

He is expected to help elevate this team to another level, providing a more consistent game plan on the ice compared to his predecessor, Patrick Roy. The Islanders overachieved under Roy, thanks in large part to their goalie, Ilya Sorokin.

Sorokin is one of the best goaltenders in the world, landing near the top in the positional rankings. He has one of the best contracts in the NHL, which has culminated in him being ranked among the best players in the league.

NHL player tiers were released by The Athletic (subscription required), and Sorokin made the cut. He is in Tier 2 - Franchise, where the top 30 players reside. “Someone who is the best player on a contending team or second best on a championship-caliber team. An unquestionably elite player,” is who is in this tier, per The Athletic.

Islanders have two superstars to build around

Apr 3, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (30) waits for a face-off during the third period against the Philadelphia Flyers at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Alexander Wohl-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Sorokin landed in the 2C tier, giving New York a second cornerstone player to build around. Even higher than him on the list is defenseman Matthew Schaefer, who has made history with his NHL Players Tier debut.

After a historic rookie season, in which he was only 18 years old, Schaefer has landed in the 2A tier, the highest ever for a debuting player. There are only 11 players ahead of him on the entire list, which speaks volumes about how elite a player he is viewed as.

Entering Year 2 at 19 years old, the sky’s truly the limit for the talented defenseman, who is on the kind of trajectory reserved for only the most special of players.

Joining those two on the list are the team’s top two centers, Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat. Both of them have been placed in Tier 4 - Star, regarded as top 100 players in the league. “Someone who would be a strong piece within a contending or championship core, but not a go-to option. An average top line forward, below average number one defenseman, or top 10 goalie,” as described by The Athletic.

Islanders have strong supporting cast with Barzal, Horvat

Apr 1, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Islanders center Bo Horvat (14) celebrates his goal with center Mathew Barzal (13) against the Philadelphia Flyers during the first period at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports / USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Barzal landed a little higher on the list as a 4A player. This is the same tier he was in last year, but a drop from the 3C tier that he occupied the first two times these rankings were revealed.

The skill is there to be a true difference-maker on the ice, but it has never really translated into elite production from Barzal, who has some shortcomings in his game, such as faceoffs. But he is elite with the puck on his stick and as a playmaker.

Horvat is just behind him in the ranking as a 4B player, the same spot in the tiers that he has occupied for four years running. He is as consistent as it gets at forward and makes the most out of his situation with the Islanders.

There is certainly some elite talent for DeBoer to work with. Now, it is up to him to scheme a game plan that gets the most out of this group and pushes them back into the postseason picture in the Eastern Conference.