The New York Islanders don’t need a lecture about where their problems have been. The offense has been the issue, and it’s been that way for a while. Last season, they missed the playoffs by eight points, or four games, and one of the biggest reasons was simple: they couldn’t score enough.
That drought showed up in the numbers. New York finished 25th in goals for per game in 2025-26 at 2.79.
The strange part was that the rest of the profile wasn’t nearly as ugly. The Islanders were tied for fifth in goals against per game at 2.88 with the Carolina Hurricanes, and they were tied for eighth in save percentage at .902, with Ilya Sorokin doing much of the heavy lifting.
He’s going to have to keep carrying a big load again this season.
The problem, though, is that the Islanders’ attack has been inconsistent right out of the gate this year. One night it looks alive, the next night it disappears. That kind of stop-start offense is exactly the sort of thing that keeps a team stuck on the playoff fringe.
Help is on the way. Mathew Barzal, who was sidelined before the 2026-27 season began because of left knee inflammation tied to a previous injury, is getting close to returning.
He took a significant step in his recovery by skating on his own this morning before the Islanders’ morning skate. He had been projected to begin skating Thursday or Friday this week, so he remains right on schedule.
That matters because Barzal changes the feel of this group down the middle. He posted 72 points in 81 games last season, including 53 assists, and moving back to center has helped him settle in and look like himself again.
The Islanders’ opening stretch has already shown the swings they’re trying to smooth out. They dropped their season opener to the Toronto Maple Leafs, with their only goal coming shorthanded.
Then came a 6-0 win over the New Jersey Devils. Two days later, they fell to the New York Rangers, 5-2, before bouncing back with a 4-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.
There’s still no confirmed date for Barzal’s return, but when he’s back, the Islanders should have a better chance to steady the attack. That’s the hope: less of the every-other-game routine, and more of an offense that can show up night after night.
In Other News...
Islanders Fans Have A New Puppy Story To Follow This Season
The Islanders spent part of their week at UBS Arena doing more than hockey work, taking part in the 10th annual Pucks and Paws Calendar photo shoot with the Guide Dog Foundation. The project pairs current and future service dogs with players, and the calendar goes on sale Nov. 25 with proceeds supporting the foundations work for veterans, first responders and people who are blind.
It also keeps the teams Puppy with a Purpose tradition rolling along in its seventh year, giving fans another offseason-adjacent storyline to track once the ice gets busier. This latest puppy is just getting started on the path that service-dog candidates follow, and the Islanders are again tying one of their most feel-good community efforts to a cause with a bigger purpose than anything that shows up in the standings. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Already Face A Depth Problem Four Games Into The Season
Four games into the season, the Islanders are already trying to patch together a lineup that has been hit from several directions. Mat Barzal is still working his way back from a knee injury after missing training camp, and the blue line has taken another hit with Isaiah George suffering a long-term injury in a recent game. For a team built around structure and depth, that kind of early attrition puts pressure on every pairing and every line combination far sooner than anyone expected.
The timing is especially awkward because the injury list keeps growing before the schedule has even settled in. With Alexander Romanov unavailable and the defense already thin, the Islanders do not have much room for error as they sort through replacements and call-up options. And with Bo Horvat also dealing with a head injury, the team is now facing questions up front as well, leaving its depth chart looking a lot shakier than it did just days ago. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Prospects Big Opportunity Just Took A Brutal Turn
The Hamilton Hammers got a real showcase night in their first home game as the Islanders new AHL affiliate, with more than 14,000 fans packing the building and giving the operation an immediate jolt of buzz. Even in a 5-4 shootout loss to the Toronto Marlies, there was plenty for the organization to like about the setting, which had the feel of an important first step in building the next wave of Islanders depth.
Isaiah Georges night, though, changed the tone quickly. The defenseman left in the second period with an injury, and head coach Jay McKee did not sound optimistic about a quick return, a tough development for a young player who had already dealt with injuries last season. For an Islanders prospect group that needs every meaningful game it can get, losing one of its more interesting blue-line pieces this early is a brutal twist to start the affiliation era. [Read more 🡒]