Another preseason projection has the Islanders parked near the very bottom of the Eastern Conference, and this one comes from someone who has actually liked plenty of what New York has been building.
The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler released his 2026-27 NHL standings predictions on Saturday and slotted the Islanders in 16th in the East, which means last place, not merely a playoff miss. Wheeler had Carolina, Washington and New Jersey taking the three Metropolitan Division playoff spots, with Ottawa and Buffalo landing the wild cards. Behind the Islanders in his Eastern Conference order were Detroit, Columbus, Boston, Pittsburgh, the Rangers and Philadelphia.
That’s a steep drop for a team Wheeler has been notably positive about when it comes to the prospect side of the organization.
“My 2026-27 NHL standings predictions:
East:
Atlantic:
- TBL
- MTL
- FLA
Metro:
- CAR
- WSH
- NJD
WC:
- OTT
- BUF
- TOR
- PHI
- NYR
- PIT
- BOS
- CBJ
- DET
- NYI
West:
Pacific:
- EDM
- VGK
- SJS
Central:
- COL
- DAL
- UTA
WC:
- MIN
- LAK
- ANA…”
This isn’t the only bleak forecast hanging over the Islanders heading into the season. The Athletic’s model recently pegged them for 82.4 points and gave them just a 15% shot at making the playoffs, which put them 28th in the league.
Schaefer has already pushed back on that kind of outlook.
The reigning Calder Trophy winner has said the Islanders should have reached the playoffs last season before their late fade, and he’s made it clear he thinks the group has more to offer.
There are still obvious reasons people are uneasy about the roster. The Islanders missed the postseason last year, lost longtime captain Anders Lee, and didn’t do much in the summer.
Peter DeBoer is entering his first full season with questions about whether the offense can keep up in a loaded Eastern Conference while he works to clean up the defensive structure. On top of that, Mathew Barzal is set to miss the start of the season, and there’s uncertainty around whether backup Semyon Varlamov can hold up for a full year and get to 30 games.
At the same time, the long-term picture looks better than it did a couple of years ago. Schaefer looks like a franchise cornerstone, and the prospect pipeline behind him has taken a real step forward.
Wheeler clearly sees that brighter future.
He just doesn’t think it’s showing up this season.
For Schaefer, that’s just another challenge waiting to be answered.
In Other News...
Mathew Barzals Status Just Put Islanders Fans On Opening Night Watch
Mathew Barzals status has become one of the Islanders early camp storylines, and for good reason. The center has missed the preseason after not passing his physical at the start of training camp, leaving the team to manage his recovery while keeping an eye on the start of the regular season. Even so, the setup is not as ominous as it first sounds, because the Islanders still have a path to getting him back into the lineup quickly once he is ready.
Barzal is currently designated as injured non roster because of a left knee injury, a label that keeps him off the active group for now but does not close the door on a fast return. He is eligible to play the same day he is placed on the roster, which is why opening night now feels like the date to watch. For the Islanders, the hope is straightforward: have one of their most important players ready when the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Forward Group Sends A Clear Message About Opening Night
The Islanders locked in their opening-night roster before the 5 p.m. deadline, and the shape of the forward group says plenty about where things stand heading into the new season. The club officially carried 13 forwards, eight defensemen and two goalies, with 19-year-old Victor Eklund earning a spot out of training camp and giving the lineup a fresh look right away.
Matthew Barzals status is the other part of the picture, as he is listed as Injured Non-Roster and does not count toward the 23-player limit. There is still no timeline for his return, which leaves the Islanders with a little more uncertainty in the short term even as they head into opening night with their roster set. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Enter The Season With One Debate Fans Cant Ignore
The Islanders wrapped up their preseason with a few final roster calls that helped clarify the shape of the group heading into opening night. Logan Stanley was signed, while Cole Eiserman and Kashawn Aitcheson were assigned to Hamilton, a reminder that the club is still sorting through its depth even as it moves from exhibition mode to the regular season under coach Pete DeBoer.
New York also closed the preseason with a loss to New Jersey, so the focus now shifts to how the lineup pieces fit once the games count. Bo Horvat, Ryan Pulock, Matthew Schaefer, Kyle Palmieri, Alexander Romanov and Semyon Varlamov are all expected to play key roles, but the bigger question around the Islanders remains how the roster settles after those last decisions and what it means for the tone of the season ahead. [Read more 🡒]