Sign up for the new Hockey Night in New York Patreon at patreon.com/hockeynightny and get 40% off your first month with promo code “ISLESFIX”
Good Morning, Islanders Country.
There are 18 games left in the season, but the feeling that you’re watching meaningful hockey games could be over as soon as this weekend. The Ottawa Senators have won five straight and have opened up a 10-point lead on the Islanders. The New Jersey Devils, devastating injuries and all, have won their last two and are 11 points ahead for 3rd in the Metro.
That means the Islanders are one of seven teams vying for one spot in the Eastern Conference. Columbus currently holds the spot with 70 points, tied with the Rangers after their OT win in Minnesota, five more than the Islanders, who have been stuck on 65 after back-to-back losses.
Reality, if it hasn’t already set in, is starting to get comfortable.
"I know a lot of people think we don't have a chance, but we do believe in ourselves, said head coach Patrick Roy after Thursday’s practice. “But in order to do that, we need everyone to step up.” They have a chance, but a small one. The team is seven points behind last year’s pace when they finished with 93 points. They may not need to hit that mark, but they’d need to go 12-5-1 to hit 90 this season. That improbably mark will feel impossible if they lose games against two NHL powerhouses - Edmonton and Florida over the next three days.
Even without Brock Nelson, the Islanders still say they believe in the group, and it’s up to them to give us a reason to believe - even for just a little longer.
Let’s dive in.
📰 NEWS: Defenseman Adam Boqvist was not present at Thursday's practice at Northwell Health Ice Center, following his early exit from Tuesday’s game due to an upper-body injury. Boqvist left the game in the second period and did not return. Head Coach Patrick Roy did not provide an update on his condition. With Boqvist unavailable, Scott Mayfield, a recent healthy scratch, stepped into a pairing with Ryan Pulock during Thursday’s session
There were some reports that Matt Martin would return to the lineup, possibly for Maxim Tysplakov, after Roy was unhappy with turnovers versus the LA Kings. Roy shot down that expectation. He indicated that Typlakov would remain in the lineup against Edmonton.
No Hype?
The Islanders are slated to host the All-Star Game next season, the year after the wildly successful 4 Nations Face-off thrilled hockey fans and air to record-breaking TV ratings. For that reason (and isn’t that the Islanders’ luck), hockey fans wonder if the league should even proceed with the All-Star Game next season, given it’s also an Olympic Year.
◾️ DOG’S BREAKFAST: "After the amazing success of 4 Nations, there have been talks behind the scenes of people saying 'Are we really going to have an All-Star Game next year?'" said Pierre LeBrun on TSN's Insider Trading. "Which is basically a dog's breakfast after we had this best-on-best event. And there are people asking questions like how smart it is to have this All-Star Game, which we know can't be saved in terms of the entertainment value."
🎟 FWIW, I asked on X this week if season ticket reps had started to dangle All-Star Game access for fans that were wavering on renewing for next season. Some said they had, some said they hadn’t. If there will be a big push to use the ASG to secure more season ticket holders next season, it hasn’t happened yet.
⏭ NEXT UP: The Islanders host Connor McDadvid and the Edmonton Oilers tonight at UBS Arena. Face-off is set for 7:30 PM EDT.
📊 STANDINGS:
📚 SOUND SMART: Per Eric Hornick in The Skinny, It is the second time in his career (also 2022-23) that Ilya Sorokin has won at least 20 games and loss at least 20 regulation games in the same season; Tommy Salo and Rick DiPietro are the only other Islander goalies to do that twice. Sorokin has now appeared in 48 games; if he plays three more, he will be the first goalie to appear in at least 51 games four times as an Islander.
🎥 ISLES REWIND: On March 14, 1987, Pat LaFontaine scored at 1:01 of overtime Saturday night, and the Islanders came back from a four-goal, third-period deficit to beat the New Jersey Devils 7-6. LaFontaine tapped in an 8-footer off a 2-on-1 with Mikko Makela to give the Islanders a fifth straight goal after trailing 6-2. Makela had scored a power-play goal with 11 seconds left in regulation to force overtime.
The Islanders, who outshot the Devils 20-2 in the third period, enjoyed a 6-on-4 advantage when they scored the tying goal because New Jersey's Randy Velischek was penalized with 2:03 left and goaltender Billy Smith was off for an extra skater
🎧 IslesBlog Podcast: John Feinstein - John Feinstein passed away unexpectedly on Thursday - a gifted writer, storyteller and friend to many in the sports world, I had the privilege of interviewing him 10 years ago for Isles Blog.
LISTEN: HERE
🔗 REPORT: Kyle Palmieri & Islanders Continue To Work On Extension by Stefen Rosner, The Hockey News “Things have progressed in the Islanders’ talks with Palmieri over the past week, with the sides closing in on an extension while still quibbling over term," LeBrun said on Insider Trading on Thursday. "There’s no rush to announce anything, but it sure sounds like Palmieri will eventually get extended.”
🔗 The NY Islanders will likely miss out on the playoffs and selecting at the top of the draft by Michael Stahurski, Eyes on Isles “It’s been a disappointing season for the NY Islanders to say the least. Ravaged by injury to key players, most of the roster has had to step into unfamiliar roles assuming more responsibility and it hasn’t worked out. Fighting for their playoff lives, the Isles can’t seem to put together another streak to make another late-season push.”
And we leave you with this…the Islanders Hosted a Baby Shower for Military Families
Thanks for reading! Follow us on Twitter for regular updates until the next newsletter.
And please check out our newsletters about the Knicks and Mets, too.