Little hope remains in the minds of New York Islanders’ fans, as all championship aspirations are drowning in the mediocrity the team finds themselves in. This current outlook was impossible to predict in the offseason. The Islanders have been an elite team in the NHL the last three season, flexing some of the league’s best defense and goaltending. While times are bleak, hope should still stay steadfast with fans because this team has proven in the past that anything is possible.

The COVID-19 narrative with the Islanders is one that fans and media have covered extensively. Despite the amount of coverage COVID-19 has received, it is still a prevalent issue hindering the Islanders’ season. Due to the low amount of games played, the Islanders naturally have a lower amount of points in comparison to the teams around them. Looking at point percentage, the Islanders are closer to making the postseason than it may appear. This is a flaw with how the NHL displays their standings, as in other major sports leagues such as the NBA, their season standings go by point percentage to give an accurate playoff picture.

Projected NHL standings and playoff chances going into the All-Star break, updated daily @TheAthleticNHL https://t.co/zeBG0totNO pic.twitter.com/c9VOLApI5T

— dom 📈 (@domluszczyszyn) February 3, 2022

The New York Islanders have a record of 17-17-6 through 40 games and sit 15 points outside of a wild card spot. However, those 40 games played are the fewest of all NHL teams — the Minnesota Wild are have the second-fewest games played with 42. The Islanders have five games in hand over the Boston Bruins, who occupy the second wild card spot. A 15-point deficit with half a season left is a tall task to overcome, but all the Islanders need is a hot streak to be in the mix.

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The last wild card spot is ripe for the picking for this struggling Islanders’ team and fans need to keep hope. A tough season on the fans does make it challenging to financially and mentally support this team. But if the Islanders do manage to string together some wins and spark hope, Long Island will bleed blue and orange — like it has for the past few seasons.

John Smark