The New York Islanders are finally getting a breather, and they need it.
After grinding through a brutal recent stretch, the Islanders looked every bit like a team running on fumes in their Halloween loss to the Edmonton Oilers at UBS Arena. It was their fourth game in seven days, coming right after a three-game road trip, and the wear showed early and often.
The night got even tougher when Emil Heineman was handed a game misconduct in the first period, leaving New York with just 11 forwards for the rest of the game. Then Scott Mayfield picked up a 10-minute misconduct in the second period after Edmonton’s third goal of the night, and the Islanders were left trying to survive a game that had already slipped out of control.
“We looked a little fatigued tonight as a group,” Islanders head coach Peter DeBoer said, via Tyler Millen of NHL.com. “I think when you're fatigued mentally you make some mistakes you don’t normally make, and physically you make some mistakes you don't normally make.
We won some hard-fought games here recently. We played extra time in overtime on the road, and we looked like we were a fatigued team today.”
The first period alone told the story. New York spent seven minutes shorthanded and spent too much time chasing the game against an Edmonton offense that can punish even the smallest lapse. The Islanders managed to kill off 5 of 6 Oilers power plays, including the full five-minute misconduct against Heineman, but that only went so far in a game full of self-inflicted problems.
The roster strain has been building for a while. Ryan Pulock was lost to an injury in the opening moments against the Minnesota Wild, and against Edmonton the Islanders were again forced to play shorthanded up front. Mayfield’s misconduct only added to the chaos.
Still, there’s a light at the end of this stretch. New York won’t be back on the ice until Nov. 5, when it hosts the Carolina Hurricanes at UBS Arena. That gives the Islanders four full days between games - a rare and welcome pause after the recent run.
There’s also a chance they could get help back by then. Matias Maccelli has already returned to the ice and skated after getting hurt just over two weeks ago against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was given a 2- to 4-week timetable for his return.
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The appeal is obvious from the Islanders side: proven veterans, some versatility and a chance to stabilize the lineup without overcommitting long term. But these kinds of ideas live in the gray area until teams actually engage, and one of the more intriguing possibilities comes with a major contractual obstacle that could complicate any path to Long Island. For now, it is less a deal in motion than a reminder that the Islanders may have to keep one eye on the trade market while they wait for their injured players to sort themselves out. [Read more 🡒]