New York Problems No Longer Can Be Hidden At 41 Game Mark

New York Islander Fan Central | 1/02/2026 12:36:00 AM |
Not that Patrick Roy won't try, his defense of Drouin is almost comical. Long ago Mick Vukota matched his season in one period.
Here we are 41 games, in a season I felt would be terrible on a historic level so I should not complain. To be where they are is shocking in a conference where everyone is in contention. On paper going into Thursday's game they gave up third least goals in east, the shots for/against were around 13/14th. For all the powerplay discussion their twenty goals places them at 31st but it's a flawed number because twenty five would have put them around twenty. Penalty kill has been good despite all the horrific Pageau/Cizikas blunders.
Utah only had 21 shots on Thursday but this is about eighteen goals in nine games with a few coming from ENG/shootout credited win goals, Markstrom's gaffe, and most of the forward non-scorers.
They did not come out and play poorly vs Utah, they had 10-0 shot advantage and did their best. What kind of chances, bad angle shots, excuse me point shots. Lee had a good seven minutes and checked out. Tsyplakov got to middle with two players who frankly should not be on this team in #53-32, Tsyplakov was last year's Heineman in Montreal, same numbers. Heineman waa moved to left wing by Roy, he went ice cold, even moving him back to RW has not helped.
The problem is about eight fowards on this team cannot score. Duclair, who I fully endorse signing just does not skate hard enough or he's hurt. Drouin-Pageau-Cizikas give them nothing as does Maclean, Gatcomb while Schaefer takes beatings every game to give them all he can.
I don't have answers for this, it was a mircle they won any games scoring two or fewer, and I have no answers for this roster besides some players need to go. If Horvat is not hurt longer-term again, they have him, Barzal, Holmstrom, Ritchie who's been good, and Shabanov who frankly is not producing but does other things. I would rather see Adam Beckman and virtually anyone in Bridgeport with scoring hands who can skate get a chance here.
Whatever I think of Roy as coach, he's not the problem, but if Darche thinks this many players are underperforming a change should happen despite Darche's decisions leaving them useless Gauthier/Foudy (he scored this week) in Bridgeport. Boqvist, Warren, Isaiah George hurt again, it's thin in Bridgeport. Hogberg looked absolutely awful in relief like he had not played since that 9-2 game, and was not ready. Rittich got exposed but clearly Roy is going to run him back out there, tired or not.
I do not see the problems being hidden any longer, fair or not the country-club culture has to be broken up. Pelech struggled after playing great for so long, and Utah started so bad their coach chewed them out, after they got the first goal they started flying, and you knew two goals would not be enough. Get ready for a lot more of the same, the players are doing their best which is nine goals/eighteen games.