#NYC #NYI #isles Every line has problem forwards. 21-10-44-53-81 with 32 in the stands. Now they have Stanley/Kessel on D who are frankly journeyman, Romanov. Is Mayfield outside the mix? They don't have the scoring/speed up front to win pucks nor can these forwards play D.
— New York Islander Fan Central (@NYIFANCENTRAL) September 30, 2026
It's that simple. Darche did some renovating to his defenders, removing George again for two journeyman + Mayfield, and Romanov will not be the physical factor he was two years ago. It's almost time to ask the question can Pulock/DeAngelo stay healthy? Anything is an improvement on Boqvist/Soucy so there is that.
Nothing 21-44-53-32-81 can do to help this roster, and 10 is another declining 30 point player. Last year despite the massive flaws the two goals or fewer in 40 plus games, they did get to 15 over/6th seed on 3/29/26, two weeks to survive. But Schenn's arrival mean going from getting 18/64 games to overtime (10-0 record) to Schenn's debut getting to overtime, then 0-17 the rest of the way. Now we are here with Palmieri who can't defend or score back, and everyone else who did very little back a year older + Barzal clearly hurt.
Hopefully the prospects in Hamilton can do enough, and the veterans here do so little it forces out some veterans for good. I don't think Darche's acquisitions are going anywhere.