The New York Islanders are a franchise on the rise. I had the pleasure to speak with NHL.com deputy managing editor and reporter Brian Compton to discuss the Islanders.

The Red-Hot Islanders

The Islanders have been on fire. In their last 17 games, they are 13-2-2.

“I certainly think it’s their ability to roll four lines,” Compton said. “That’s been Barry [Trotz’s] goal since he got here. [Jean-Gabriel] Pageau has been so big for these guys since he got here last season. The evolution of guys like Noah Dobson and Oliver Wahlstrom, who are still really young kids. Especially Noah, who’s been so good at the start of the year, who’s replaced the guy like Devon Toews who’s done so much for them.” 

Losing Toews was a huge loss for the Islanders defense, but Dobson stepped up and took his spot. The Islanders defense was great in Tuesday’s win over Boston in a shootout, which continued the Islanders home-point streak. The Islanders have been playing well on home ice and have not lost a game in regulation at home this season.

“We spoke to [Mathew] Barzal about that the other day,” Compton said. “He had a hard time explaining it but he just basically said that they’re just comfortable at home. They get to sleep in their own beds and there’s a routine.”

Very shortly, the Islanders will allow fans back into the area which should create an even bigger spark of energy for the team on home ice.

“It’s just the comfort level of playing at home,” Compton said. “It’s going to be interesting to see what happens when the fans do come back, but obviously the Islanders are gonna want to put on a show.”

The Islanders will be allowing 1,000 Northwell Health frontline workers to attend Thursday’s home game against the Devils. The team will look to make their mark in front of these heroes.

Islanders Lacking A Goal-Scorer

The Islanders have a nine-game point streak after an offseason in which fans wanted a big acquisition.

“I think it’s the team concept,” Compton said. “I think that Barzal is getting really close if he’s not at that level just yet… the goal he scored the other day was pretty ridiculous. He’s got top level speed, so he’s easily one of the fastest guys in the league.”

Mat Barzal has been a bright spot on the Islanders but the biggest specialty the Islanders have is a skillful team.

“It goes back to the team concept,” Compton said. “Rolling four lines, the ability to keep the puck out of their net and suffocate the opposing team’s offense.”

This team is built around their chemistry and close relationships compared to being led by one goal-scorer. It has shown in their recent years of success how close the players are with each other and the entire front office.

Islanders Reverse Retro Jerseys

On Saturday’s game, Barzal pulled off a highlight-reel goal, but was not wearing the traditional home or alternate Islanders jerseys. On that day, the Islanders debuted their Reverse Retro jerseys. Some people liked it, but many fans wanted the Islanders to use the fisherman design instead.

“Yeah, I wasn’t surprised,” Compton said. “Everything goes through [Lou Lamoriello] and I just didn’t see them doing anything too outlandish with Lamoriello running the show and calling the shots.”

Despite Lamoriello’s old-fashioned style, the team has seen massive improvement since he joined.

The Success Of Lamoriello And Trotz

Lamoriello is very strict and old fashioned compared to other general managers in the league. The rules Lamoriello makes seem to help the team’s success.

“I mean he’s a Hockey Hall of Famer as a builder,” Compton said. “I can tell you that they respect the heck out of [Lamoriello] and everything that he’s accomplished in this league.”

Lamoriello was a very big part of the Islanders becoming a contender. But he couldn’t have done it without his partner and head coach Barry Trotz.

“I think what [Lamoriello] has done is he’s changed the culture,” Compton said. “In terms of bringing in a coach who has established himself already.”

Many Islanders fans were very happy when the Islanders and Garth Snow parted ways, a decision that led to Lamoriello getting hired.

“I think [Snow’s] biggest enemy was that he was the guy in charge,” Compton said. “I think he was afraid to surround himself with people who are going to challenge him on things.”

Trotz and Lamoriello don’t seem to have that flaw.

“Trotz is not going to be afraid to do that,” Compton said. “Guys like [Lamoriello] and [Trotz], they really have taken the bull by the horns and turn this into a winning organization.”

The Islanders have made the playoffs every year under head coach Barry Trotz and general manager Lou Lamoriello. It’s pretty easy to see the impact they have on the team.

The Islanders Salary Cap Issue

A lot of fans have been very worried about the salary cap issue for the Islanders. The Isles were forced to trade Toews to stay under the cap.

“I guess it depends on how these young prospects develop,” Compton said. “What happens with Simon Holmström, happens with Bode Wilde, Samuel Bolduc, they have some guys in Bridgeport who can step in if they lose somebody and they’re certainly going to lose somebody next year to the expansion draft with Seattle.”

There is a lot of uncertainty to the Islanders draft choices and how they will play out.

However, Compton is confident with the situation. He told fans not to panic.

“[Lamoriello] knows what he’s doing, remember that,” Compton said. “He’s got very intelligent guys around him and they and they know what’s ahead, even before they sign guys like Matt Martin and other guys like that so I would just say sit tight I’m sure everything will be okay.”

The Islanders Success In The Bubble

Last year, the Islanders pulled off one of their most amazing runs in recent history. A lot of people looked at the Islanders as a small threat compared to other teams. Fans around the league looked down upon the Islanders. As always, the Islanders proved people wrong again.

“Everything just came together,” Compton said. “They had a really good camp here before they left for Toronto.  They had a couple of months to shake off the cobwebs of what was a pretty rough last couple of months in the regular season before the pandemic hit.”

Before the stoppage in the NHL season, the Islanders were struggling a lot. The last game they played before the shutdown was March 10, 2020. They traded for Pageau and former Devils captain Andy Greene, but the Islanders struggled afterwards.

“It gave guys like [Greene] and [Pageau] more time to acclimate themselves with their new teammates after being really thrown to the wolves at the trade deadline,” Compton said.

The Conference Final

The Islanders couldn’t handle the Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lighting in the Eastern Conference Final.

“Unfortunately, it was a quick turnaround from Toronto to Edmonton,” Compton said. “They really only had a day off in between started the second round and the start of the Conference Final. Whereas Tampa Bay was sitting there waiting for them.”

Game one for the Islanders was terrible. They lost that game 8-2.

“Had they had another extra day, Game one probably would have gone way differently than it did,” Compton said. “They got the wheels blown off and I mean that was really tough and they just, they really couldn’t recover from it.”

They ended up losing the series in six games. The Lightning won the final game 2-1 in overtime.

2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs

The Islanders will try to put their Conference Final loss behind them, and maybe make it further this year.

“I still think Semyon Varlamov will be the guy when the playoffs get underway,” Compton said. “But if he falters at all, it’ll be really interesting to see if Trotz pulls the trigger and goes to Ilya Sorokin, but they certainly have enough pieces in place to go on another long run.”

Islanders fans are hopeful the team can make another run. And if they do, Brian Compton will be there to cover it.

Photos courtesy of NHL.com.