Summer Coolers – New York Islanders
The New York Islanders enter 2026-27 looking remarkably similar to the team that missed the playoffs last season—with one major exception: longtime captain Anders Lee is gone. After finishing sixth in the Metropolitan Division with 91 points, the Islanders turn to Peter DeBoer behind the bench. Neil Smith and Vic Morren question whether DeBoer can squeeze more out of a roster that made few significant offseason additions. Ilya Sorokin remains an elite foundation in goal, Matthew Schaefer looks like a future superstar, and several promising prospects are coming, but is there enough improvement to get the Islanders back into the Stanley Cup Playoffs?
IN THIS EPISODE:
[00:00:00] The Islanders finish with 91 points and sixth place in the Metropolitan Division, missing the playoffs for a second consecutive season.
[00:00:20] Peter DeBoer takes over behind the bench after replacing Patrick Roy with four games remaining last season.
[00:00:35] Some team statistics improve, particularly the penalty kill, which makes an impressive jump from 31st to 10th overall.
[00:00:50] The power play remains a major weakness, improving only slightly from 31st to 30th.
[00:01:00] The Islanders make no offseason trade acquisitions. Tony DeAngelo re-signs for two years at $4.5 million, while Matias Maccelli arrives from Toronto.
[00:01:15] Vitek Vanecek signs a one-year deal after playing in Utah, providing insurance given the uncertainty surrounding Semyon Varlamov.
[00:01:30] The biggest departure is captain Anders Lee, who leaves for Utah. Backup goaltender David Rittich also departs for New Jersey.
[00:01:45] Vic’s assessment is straightforward: this looks like essentially the same Islanders team as last season, except now it has lost its captain.
[00:02:00] Neil agrees. Looking at the roster on paper, he cannot identify an area where the Islanders have significantly improved.
[00:02:15] One major reason for optimism is Matthew Schaefer, who is coming off a terrific rookie season and appears to have a brilliant future.
[00:02:30] Goaltending should remain a strength as long as Sorokin stays healthy. Neil still considers him one of the NHL’s best.
[00:02:45] Varlamov remains a major question after being out of the lineup for roughly a year and a half, making Vanecek an important depth signing.
[00:03:00] The Islanders do have promising young talent coming. Cole Eiserman scored 18 goals in 32 games at Boston University last season.
[00:03:15] Victor Eklund is another intriguing prospect and gives the Islanders another potential offensive piece for the future.
[00:03:30] K'Shawn Aitcheson, selected 17th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, is another young player who could eventually push for an opportunity.
[00:03:45] But Neil separates the future from the present. The question is what New York will be in 2026-27, and his expectation is that the Islanders may look very similar to what they were in 2025-26.
[00:04:00] The conversation turns to leadership. With Anders Lee gone and Schaefer emerging as a potential franchise player, should the young defenseman already receive the captaincy?
[00:04:15] Neil says no. Being the team’s best or most talented player does not automatically mean someone should wear the “C.”
[00:04:30] Lee himself is an example. He earned the captaincy through leadership rather than simply being the Islanders’ most talented player.
[00:04:45] Neil believes Bo Horvat is the more logical choice. Horvat has established leadership qualities and previously served as captain of the Vancouver Canucks.
[00:05:00] Schaefer’s opportunity to become captain may eventually arrive, but Neil believes that responsibility should come later in his career.
The Islanders still have Sorokin, a potential star in Schaefer, and some promising prospects. But for 2026-27, Neil and Vic see the same fundamental problem: where did this team actually get better? Unless DeBoer can manufacture a major improvement from essentially the same roster, another fight just to reach the playoffs appears likely.
