The Islanders open their 2026-27 season on the road against the Maple Leafs, and they’ll do it with a lineup that already says plenty about where this first full Peter DeBoer campaign is headed.
New York heads into Toronto with Ilya Sorokin in goal and Semyon Varlamov backing him up, while the Leafs are expected to turn to backup goalie Anthony Stolarz after Sergei Bobrovsky started their opener. Toronto dropped its first game last night, falling 3-2 at home to the Montreal Canadiens, and the Islanders will try to take advantage right away.
Up front, Bo Horvat centers the top line with Simon Holmstrom on the left side and Kyle Palmieri on the right. Palmieri’s return is a notable one, since this will be his first regular-season game since he tore his ACL last November.
The second line features the Islanders’ biggest free-agent pickup, Matias Maccelli, on the left wing. After a strong preseason, he’ll skate with Cal Ritchie in the middle and Brayden Schenn on the right.
One of the more interesting camp stories lands on the third line, where rookie Victor Eklund earned his spot and will open the season on the left side. He’ll be joined by JG Pageau at center and Emil Heineman on the right.
The fourth line rounds out with Ondrej Palat, Casey Cizikas and Anthony Duclair. Duclair’s role will be worth watching after rumors surfaced about his contract potentially being bought out. Kyle MacLean is listed as the extra skater.
The practice look also showed the forward group as Holmstrom-Horvat-Palmieri, Maccelli-Ritchie-Schenn, Eklund-Pageau-Heineman, and Palat-Cizikas-Duclair, with MacLean extra.
On defense, Adam Pelech and Matthew Schaefer are projected as the top pair. Schaefer, a left-handed shot, showed he could handle either side and made his mark in his lone preseason appearance with three points.
Alexander Romanov is back after a season-ending shoulder injury last November, and he’ll line up beside Ryan Pulock on the second pair. The pressure is on Romanov to re-establish himself as a long-term piece on the blue line.
The third pair is Logan Stanley and Tony DeAngelo. Stanley was signed just a few days ago. Scott Mayfield and Matt Kessel are the extra defensemen.
In Other News...
Islanders Were In On Kirill Marchenko But One Big Hurdle Loomed
Kirill Marchenkos name was one of the more intriguing ones floating around the trade market, and the Islanders were among the teams doing their homework. Columbus ultimately moved the winger to the Maple Leafs in a deal headlined by Matthew Knies and other pieces, but the wider field around Marchenko helps explain why the Blue Jackets had so many moving parts to consider before pulling the trigger.
New York was never alone in the chase, with Montreal reportedly involved right up to the end and interest also coming from Boston, Seattle and Tampa Bay. Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell said Marchenko preferred to play elsewhere, though he did not spell out why, leaving the sort of unfinished background story that often shapes whether a team keeps pushing or moves on to the next name on its list. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Just Sent A Clear Message About Matthew Schaefer
The Islanders have signaled plenty of confidence in Matthew Schaefer before he has even settled into his NHL career, and now the organization is putting that belief into a visible leadership role. For the 2026-27 season, the club has named its alternate captains, a group that includes Ryan Pulock, Kyle Palmieri and Brayden Schenn, while Bo Horvat remains the captain at the top of the room.
Schaefer, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, is the youngest name in that mix by a wide margin, which makes the assignment stand out even more. The Islanders are clearly looking beyond just his on-ice upside and treating him like part of their leadership core, a strong indication of how central they believe he can become as this roster continues to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Face A Brutal Metro Reality Few Fans Wanted
The Islanders are heading into the 2026-27 season with a group that looks familiar in a lot of places, even after a summer that brought Anders Lees departure and Matias Maccelli in as a free-agent addition. Kyle Palmieri, Alexander Romanov and Ryan Pulock are back after injury, Victor Eklund has cracked the roster, and the hope is that a healthier lineup can give a steadier picture than the one they carried through much of last year.
Still, the outside view is not especially kind, and the concern around this team goes beyond simple continuity. With so little roster turnover and a few role questions still hanging over the group, the Islanders are already being treated like a team that has to prove it can keep pace in a division that leaves little margin for error, especially with the uncertainty surrounding Mathew Barzal adding another layer to an uneasy start. [Read more 🡒]