NY Islanders Receive Concerning Projection Regarding Upcoming Season

The New York Islanders did not receive and encouraging projection for the upcoming season.

Apr 11, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders head coach Peter DeBoer speaks to the media before 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 their second preseason game against the New York Rangers on Tuesday night. With the regular season right around the corner, the Islanders will be hoping to be a contender. 

Following a bit of a quiet offseason for New York, expectations are a bit mixed for the Islanders coming into the year. The team was able to exceed expectations last year and were nearly a playoff team. While things did come apart late, New York proved that they were ahead of schedule on new general manager Mathieu Darche’s rebuild. 

Furthermore, right at the end of the campaign, the team brought in Peter DeBoer after relieving Patrick Roy of his duties. Bringing in a coach the caliber of DeBoer raises expectations as well. However, not everyone sees the Islanders as a playoff contender based on their talent currently. 

The trio of Shayna Goldman, Dom Luszczyszyn and Harman Dayal of The Athletic (subscription required) recently projected what the 2026-27 campaign would look like for the Islanders. For New York, the projection was not encouraging. 

New York Projected for Just 82 Points 

Apr 12, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (48) carries the puck against the Montreal Canadiens in the third period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Alexander Wohl-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Coming off a year in which they totaled 91 points, the Islanders being projected to be at just 82 is far from encouraging. This was a team that exceeded expectations last year, and now they will be trying to build on it. 

However, this summer was a mostly quiet one for the team, with them losing their captain Anders Lee. While remaining status quo and not trading some of their top prospects to try and rush an improvement makes sense, it doesn’t bode well for the team this coming season if they are unable to develop and make an impact right away. 

Fortunately, the team does have one of the best young players in the league in Matthew Schaefer to build around, and what he is able to do in year two will be exciting to watch. 

Also, a main reason why they were so successful last season was the play of Ilya Sorokin. The talented goalie was the runner-up for the Vezina, and he can win a game for New York anytime he is in the net. 

Overall, it feels like an 82-point projection feels a bit low for a team that had 91 points last year. If the Islanders landed as one of the five-worst teams in the league, it would be an extremely disappointing season, but building for the future still likely remains the main goal.