Hard Facts For New York It's Not Just Lineup/Scoring Issues

New York Islander Fan Central | 10/27/2026 06:59:00 AM |
Dallas went into Sunday's game scoring three less goals then New York for all the talk about them being a good team. Deboer's players were rested/ready and they managed to keep themselves in a game with goals largely off bounces by both sides. Dallas got two of those bounces, Schenn looked terrible back at center, Palmieri got his garbage goal off an end board bounce. Deboer decided to finally be an NHL head coach like he was in Dallas and put Schaefer back on LD where he belongs who scored a goal which looked like he can only score as a LD. So what happened with the game in the balance? Their age showed. Schenn who had a turnover for a Dallas goal, got one back thanks to Duclair but was outworked in the third as was the entire team shots 16-5/Dallas three goals. DeAngelo was beaten with Pelech, Kessel finally payed RD where he belongs. Palat, who has skated better is not a third line player. Eklund is moved around same as Heineman/Holmstrom who are the scorers with Horvat. As Deboer said they were not moving well which is a hard fact. Last season the condensed schedule produced many closer games because every team was playing four games in six days or more. This year there is rest, time for more practices, to work on things. For the 2026-27 New York Islanders the hard fact is they don't have another level with a game in that balance as Dallas proved. Maybe a Barzal return with Maccelli/Ritchie help but not at this time. I don't see Barzal returning at all and Darche's waffling on his injury status makes me feel he may not play at all this season after this two year lingering injury.

Darche Press Conference

New York Islander Fan Central | 10/21/2026 02:58:00 PM |

New York Win/Hard Work/New Injuries/Hard Facts (Updated)

New York Islander Fan Central | 10/19/2026 08:34:00 AM |
First the hard facts.
It would not be honest of me to not preface my writings here to make clear, it's not fun writing about the New York Islanders at this time. The team plays at a location unfit for professional sports that again hangs as a black cloud over the franchise. As usual, most of the building is empty win or lose, and clearly the marketing changed to hide the team again in Nassau/Suffolk despite the building being on the Queens border with a large percentage of the fans inside New York City, and has zero association with the failed gang of four 1995 marketing that almost bankrupted the team being cramed down everyone's throat's non-stop, which also is an insult to the dynasty/alumni.
Folks who read my account here, and on social media know I felt Barclay's worked as the correct location (I don't care about Barclay's flaws when the seats are empty at Belmont) for a team that must be fully vested in New York City to survive, as they approach double digit owners with massive cash calls coming. My projection is they will move by 2028-29 after keeping quiet with NHL awarding them an all-star game for this season, same as Bridgeport moved for the same reasons with the television contract expiring by 2031. I also expect Scott Malkin will sell the team, and be left to his empty retail village as ESD/NYRA deals with empty Belmont racetrack that should have closed in 2023 for good.
On the ice, I do not like Mathieu Darche's decisions, who doubled down with middling veterans who can't score, and clearly there is a huge push to make Matthew Schaefer a RD because he drafted far too many LD when the organization needs scoring, speed, skill, and physical fowards players who can fight when needed. He's done the impossible and made a cap ceiling team less talented then the past cap floor teams which also goes on Lou Lamoriello's bad deals. I do not think this is Peter Deboer's doing but his not-negotiables immedately went from saying Isaiah George is an NHL player after one game, to again him being in the AHL/injured again as joureyman in Logan Stanley/Matthew Kessel are here. It does not make much sense on the ice, which does not make watching this team a fun experience as clearly they entered that group of teams that live outside the playoffs long-term after last seasons awful collapse which ended all doubt about Belmont working as a location with 10/12 games down the stretch being 1/2 filled in a playoff spot.
Ok, New York, put up a solid effort vs mediocre Toronto, who did beat New York on opening night with Schaefer carrying the puck the entire game down RD, as Sorokin made several big saves with few rebounds. Palat is working hard winning pucks, he can't score which goes for the usual suspects. Pageau found Duclair for a goal, Horvat found Holmstrom for a big goal, but losing two of their skilled forwards in Ritchie/Maccelli is likely going to be long-term. Eklund looks like a player so this may force a commitment beyond the nine games which is tomorrrow vs Anaheim.

Darche Strategy Making Little Sense

New York Islander Fan Central | 10/10/2026 05:02:00 PM |

Meanwhile they are getting 15 shots a game through two periods, with no sustained pressure besides the Devils imploding as they had turnover after turnover at the blueline. What Chicago did was largely what the Rangers did, and it worked besides New York getting goals off the rush.

Meanwhile Schaefer is getting his points, but he looks lost going down the right side, which is why Rangers easily forced turnovers for ENG with Palmieri planeted at the blueline stagnant. They were lucky Horvat was not concussed vs Chicago.

Romanov Season Over......Again

New York Islander Fan Central | 10/07/2026 01:34:00 PM |
Now they are stuck with his contract for the full term/less insurance.