Who Is To Blame for How Much Islanders Have Struggled?
The Islanders have struggled this season. One game after the All-Star Break, the Isles are at NHL .500 with a 17-17-6 record, good for 40 points. The team is sixth in the Metropolitan Division and 25th in the entire NHL. It won’t be impossible for the Islanders to reach the postseason, but it will surely be extremely difficult as they are 15 points out of the last Wild Card spot.
So, who is at fault for the team’s struggles at this point?
Coaching and Management
Lou Lamoriello made some questionable moves this offseason, including leaving Jordan Eberle unprotected in the Expansion Draft and replacing Nick Leddy — who was traded away to the Detroit Red Wings — with Zdeno Cara.
It is very easy to say now that the Islanders would prefer to have Eberle over Kyle Palmieri and his one goal this season, but based on the previous postseason, Palmieri was the right choice at the time. Replacing Leddy with an older Chara wasn’t one of the best moves, but Chara has improved recently.
Barry Trotz has also been a scapegoat this season. However, the Islanders would not have had nearly the same amount of success over the past four seasons if it wasn’t for Trotz. Some of the moves and decisions made by Trotz this season are certainly playing a role in the team’s struggles, but it is unfair to blame just him.
Underperforming Veteran Forwards
One of the bigger issues the Islanders have been dealing with is their underperforming veteran forwards. Palmieri, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Josh Bailey, Matt Martin and Casey Cizikas are some of the veteran forwards on the team and aren’t playing up to par.
It is definitely an issue when Palmieri has scored one goal — the same amount as Ross Johnston. Cizikas has only scored four goals. Pageau has only scored five times. Bailey has only found the back of the net on three different occasions. All have been extremely disappointing.
If the veterans can start scoring — like they did Wednesday against the Canucks — the Islanders still have a shot at the postseason.
Slow Start To Season
The Islanders have been at a competitive disadvantage more than any other team this season.
After starting with an 13-game road trip, then coming home to a COVID-19 outbreak, the Islanders lost 11 straight (0-8-3) in November and December. They had a slow start to the season, but there were factors out of their control at play.
Will Islanders Make Playoffs?
The questionable choices from Trotz and Lamoriello, the underperforming veteran forwards and a slow start to the Islanders’ season all have added up to create the Islanders’ first-half struggles. Nonetheless, the Islanders still have a chance to turn their season around in the second-half and make the playoffs.
A lot of work has to be done and it will be difficult, but as shown in the last three years, if there is a team that can make a strong comeback, it’s the Islanders.
Writer for Drive4Five covering the New York Islanders.
