The New York Islanders have struggled this season and the 2021 offseason is a big reason why.

This past offseason, it was evident the Islanders needed a small boost to get over that hump. But they failed to address their issues.

Islanders’ President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Lou Lamoriello exposed Jordan Eberle and Josh Bailey to the Seattle Kraken and protected Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck. Eberle was claimed. Martin and Clutterbuck are fan favorites, but their offensive skill is lacking. For a team that needed offense, this move was confusing.

Lamoriello also traded Nick Leddy to the Detroit Red Wings. His replacement for Leddy was Zdeno Chara. Chara is old and slow, and as a result, Leddy’s offensive presence has been dearly missed this year.

Additionally, the Islanders had Erik Gustafsson signed to a professional tryout contract and cut him before the season started. Gustafsson later signed with the Blackhawks and his presence would have helped the Islanders’ defense this year.

In free agency, the Islanders extended Kyle Palmieri and signed Zach Parise — on top of signing Chara. Both forwards have been underwhelming this season.

The Islanders have one of the oldest rosters not just in the NHL, but in the four major sports in the United States, as the Isles opened the year with an average age of 29.65. This statistic would be irrelevant if the Islanders had an abundance of skill, but they do not. This season, the team looks significantly slower and less skilled than most of their opponents.

There is still time left in the season and the Islanders have been playing better recently, so there is some hope for a revival. However, the Islanders’ offseason set the team up for failure this year.

John Smark