On Thursday, January 14, the New York islanders kicked off the 2021 season, and since then, we have seen some of their best and some of their worst.

This season presents a major challenge for the New York Islanders. In a 56-game season, which leaves very little room for error, only the top four teams in each division will make the playoffs. It is probable that perennial playoff teams will miss this year due to that factor and how competitive the division is,

The Islanders currently have a record of 3-3-0, currently good for seventh place in the MassMutual East division.

In the Islanders three victories, they have scored nine goals and given up only one. However, they have been shut twice and been outscored 10-2 in their three losses. out The heavy contrast between the Islanders’ success and struggles highlights the Islanders’ main problem: inconsistency, especially on the offensive side of the puck.

In a regular 82 game season, I would say that it is incredibly early and that the Islanders’ will find their groove. Although it is still early, the 56-game schedule puts enormous pressure on the Islanders to find their game consistently. It is hard to just rely on later season success. Every game is so important, as a team could be ten games over .500 and miss the playoffs. That is the reality of this shortened season.

Another difficulty is the schedule being restricted to only divisional opponents; every team in the Islanders division will be familiar with their game plan and have that much better chance of shutting down the Islanders game.

In the upcoming week, the Islanders will play two tough divisional rivals in Washington and Philadelphia. These next three games are crucial. The Islanders were better than both the Capitals and the Flyers in the postseason. However, in the NHL, anything can happen on any given day. Nothing is guaranteed. The only way the Islanders beat these teams is if they bring their game for 60 minutes.

That is what it will take to be successful and make the playoffs in this unprecedented season. There are no longer going to be nights when you play a terrible team in the other conference where you can play a bad game and still scrap out a win in the end. Every night will be a grind; every night it will be difficult, every night will be a challenge. And there can’t be many mulligans. The Islanders inconsistency needs to be addressed quickly.

Ethan Halle

Ethan is an Economics Major at the University of Florida looking to pursue a double major in Sports Management with a minor in political science.