After a brief two-game homestand, the New York Islanders are heading back out west for its second west coast road trip in the month of February. While the first game of their last trip was a success in Vancouver, the rest of the trip was not kind to New York, as they went 1-3-0.

The team will visit Seattle for its first road tilt against the Kraken, before facing the California teams and the Avalanche. As the Islanders look to find any kind of momentum before the trade deadline, here’s a brief preview of the games on the upcoming slate.

Islanders-Kraken

The first stop on the Islanders’ west coast trip will be their first visit to Climate Pledge Arena and the Emerald City. However, it’s not the first time these two teams will meet. Seattle cruised to a 3-0 victory at UBS Arena on Feb. 2. Although the Kraken aren’t the best team on paper, if you look past them they can beat you. Their offense has its bright spots in Jared McCann, Yanni Gourde, and former Islander Jordan Eberle.

On the back end, Mark Giordano and Vince Dunn each are strong pieces. But their weakness is in net, with Phillipp Grubauer and Chris Driedger each having bad years. Although some of it may be due to bad defensive structure, both goalies have strong pedigrees and can steal games. Grubauer picked up a shutout back on Feb. 2. The goal for the Islanders will be to put much more pressure on net, as they only mustered 19 shots that night.

Islanders-Sharks

Next on the docket will be the San Jose Sharks on Thursday. The last time these two teams played each other was Dec. 2. After trading first period goals, Erik Karlsson put the game away in overtime to give the Sharks a 2-1 win, and the Sharks have remained a quality team since then. Timo Meier has enjoyed a breakout year, and Tomas Hertl and Logan Couture have maintained strong production.

Alexander Barabanov and Jonathan Dahlen have each become regulars in their lineup as well, adding some middle-six scoring. Their defense has its bright spots, but Erik Karlsson will be on the shelf for Thursday night’s game. Adin Hill and James Reimer round out the team in net, but those two will need to continue to step up with one of their premier defenders out.

Islanders-Kings

The halfway point of the road trip is the front end of a back-to-back in Southern California. The Los Angeles Kings are the first team they will face on Feb. 26. In their first matchup in late January, the Kings held a 2-0 lead after two periods and fended off the Islanders in the third for a 3-2 win. Since then, the Kings have held onto the final spot in the Wild Card, showing the results of their rebuild thus far.

Their team is a mix of youth and the veterans of their Stanley Cup days. Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty have turned back the clock to their mid 2010’s form, and their youth is beginning to emerge. Adrian Kempe and Alex Iafallo are continuing their positive development, and Arthur Kaliyev, Sean Durzi, and Quinton Byfield are joining the youth movement.

The Kings’ goaltending has seen improvements as well, as Jonathan Quick and Cal Petersen have had fine years too. Add the talents of Phillip Danault and Viktor Arvidsson, and the Kings have a wide variety of players at their disposal. This year may not be their year to make the postseason, but they have promise for their future.

Islanders-Ducks

The back end of the back-to-back features the Islanders and Anaheim Ducks. After concerns about their rebuild stalling out the last two seasons, Anaheim’s youth has made massive strides. Troy Terry, Sonny Milano, and Isac Lunderstrom are the young stars on the offense, but the headliner is Trevor Zegras. The 20 year old’s skill set has captured the attention of fans everywhere, and he can be one of the top stars in this league for years to come.

That’s not to take away from the veterans though, for Ryan Getzlaf has maintained form alongside Rickard Rakell and Jakob Silfverberg. Cam Fowler and Hampus Lindholm lead their defense, and John Gibson has rebounded in net. Like Los Angeles, Anaheim may not be in the position to make meaningful noise yet, but they are a fun team to watch.

Islanders-Avalanche

The final stop on the Islanders’ trip takes them to Denver to face the Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche are one of the best teams in hockey right now, headlined by the talents of Nathan Mackinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Gabriel Landeskog. But surprisingly, it’s Nazem Kadri leading the team in points, as he enjoys a breakout season.

Their defense is just as stout as well, with Cale Makar and former Islander Devon Toews playing on the top pair. Perhaps it’s due to that strong defense, but Darcy Kuemper has had an incredible year, posting a 25-5-2 record. With some of the finest talents in hockey, Colorado is a Stanley Cup favorite. Beating them in their building will be a challenge for the Islanders.

This upcoming week will be telling for the Islanders and their outlook. Although the Islanders’ motive should be to play as hard as they can. A strong west coast trip could bring up team morale ahead of what should be a tumultuous month ahead of the trade deadline.

Matthew Page

I am a first year student at Hofstra University and an avid Islanders fan. I have been writing for Drive4Five since March 2020. My family has been season ticket holders for the team since 2016, and hockey is my favorite sport. As I expand my knowledge in the field of Journalism, I am writing to express my love for the Islanders and the NHL.