The Islanders are heading into the Olympic break on a high note, riding a two-game win streak after a gritty 3-1 victory over the Devils at Prudential Center. That win nudged them into third place in the Metropolitan Division with a 32-21-5 record - just one point behind the second-place Penguins (who still have two games in hand), and four points ahead of both the surging Blue Jackets and the Capitals.
Columbus, now red-hot under new head coach Rick Bowness, has rattled off seven straight wins and also holds two games in hand. The Capitals, meanwhile, have played one more.
The NHL season pauses for the Winter Olympics, with the Islanders set to return to action on February 26 in Montreal. Practice can resume as early as February 17, though the team is expected to ease back into things. Notably, they’ll be without Bo Horvat (Team Canada) and his linemate Ondrej Palat (Team Czechia), who will be competing in Milan.
As the team takes a breath before the stretch run, here are three key takeaways heading into the break:
1. The Islanders Can’t Rely on a Wild Card
If the Islanders want to punch their ticket to the playoffs, they’re going to need to hold onto a top-three spot in the Metropolitan - because the wild card race is looking like a minefield. The Atlantic Division is a serious threat to claim both wild card slots, with the Sabres and Bruins each sitting at 69 points, both ahead of the Islanders and each with games in hand.
Translation: the margin for error is razor-thin.
The Islanders still have two more meetings with the Blue Jackets, including a crucial matchup in Columbus on February 28. Those games could go a long way in determining who finishes where in the Metro.
But despite the tight race, there’s no panic in the room.
“I feel great,” said defenseman Adam Pelech. “I feel like we’ve been getting better and better.
Confidence is high. I think everyone is feeling good.”
That confidence is well-earned. The Islanders have weathered a brutal stretch of injuries, including losing Kyle Palmieri (left knee) and Alexander Romanov (right shoulder) for the season. Horvat, the team’s leading goal scorer with 24, missed 14 games across two separate lower-body injuries between mid-December and late January.
Still, they’ve found ways to win.
“It says a lot about our group, it says a lot about character,” Horvat said. “Our will in here.
We’re playing some pretty good hockey right now. We can even keep getting better.”
That’s the mindset you want from your leaders heading into the final 24 games.
2. GM Mathieu Darche Isn’t Done Yet
First-year general manager Mathieu Darche hasn’t wasted time making moves - and he’s made them with the poise of a front office veteran. He pulled off two key acquisitions last week, landing defenseman Carson Soucy from the Rangers and forward Ondrej Palat from the Devils.
But don’t expect him to be done dealing.
There’s a roster freeze in place during the Olympic break (through February 22), but once that lifts, the trade deadline looms on March 6. Darche is likely still shopping for forward help, especially with both Anthony Duclair and Max Shabanov - who were expected to be top-six contributors - struggling to stay in the lineup. Both were healthy scratches on Thursday.
Even with the Palat-Horvat pairing clicking, the forward group could use another spark.
Darche also has a decision to make on pending unrestricted free agents Anders Lee and Jean-Gabriel Pageau. There’s a real chance he keeps both as internal rentals - playoff-tested veterans who could be key down the stretch, even without extensions in place.
3. Local Bragging Rights - and a Rising Rookie
One stat that jumps off the page: the Islanders swept the season series against the Rangers, outscoring them 14-3 over four games. That’s not just a feather in the cap - it’s a full-on statement.
Yes, the Rangers are in a down year, and yes, those four wins account for 25% of the Islanders’ total victories and 18.3% of their goals. But dominance is dominance, and in a rivalry like that, it still matters.
More importantly, the emergence of rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer has been a major storyline. He’s not just holding his own - he’s making plays, logging meaningful minutes, and giving the blue line a boost when the team needed it most.
For the first time ever, the Islanders swept both their local rivals in the same season. That’s not just a trivia nugget - it’s a sign that this team is setting the tone in the tri-state area.
As the Olympic break begins, the Islanders find themselves in a playoff spot, battle-tested, and with the belief that their best hockey might still be ahead. With 24 games to go, the margin is tight, the stakes are high, and the path forward is clear: stay healthy, stay aggressive, and keep stacking wins. The Metro isn’t going to hand out playoff spots - the Islanders are going to have to earn theirs.