Islanders and Mets Have Had A Very Similar Season
The New York Mets had a terrible season in 2021. Interestingly, many fans of the Mets are also fans of the New York Islanders. These people were excited for hockey season, as the Islanders were expected to contend for the Stanley Cup after making the NHL semifinals two seasons in a row. But the Islanders have been a disaster this season, leading to the conclusion that the Islanders and Mets have had very similar years.
The Mets
Prior to the start of the season, the Mets made some huge offseason moves, like bringing in All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor. The team had massive expectations before the year and many experts expected the Mets to cruise to a NL East title.
Things started out bumpy, as their first series got postponed due to COVID-19. But the Mets started relatively strong. However, their offense was struggling immensely, a trend that continued for the rest of the year. While the Mets were in first place most of the first-half, everything fell apart around the MLB All-Star break.
Almost all their players completely underperformed. Players like Dominic Smith, Jeff McNeil and Michael Conforto all had down years. Lindor struggled in his first year as a Met. Their offense was one of the worst in the entire league. And manager Luis Rojas made questionable decision after questionable decision. To top it all off, Jacob deGrom was shut down with an elbow issue just after the All-Star break for the rest of the season. The team was mediocre for the rest of the year and finished under .500 and third in their division. To say that the season was not what the Mets were hoping for is a major understatement.
The Islanders
Now for the Islanders.
The Islanders had a losing streak of nine games during the first-half of their season. The team also had issues with COVID-19. There was also a key injury to top defensemen Ryan Pulock.
Additionally, there have been struggles from key players. Kyle Palmieri, the big acquisition at the Trade Deadline last season, has failed to live up to expectations. Mathew Barzal, expected to be a perennial All-Star for the Islanders, has not reached his top gear this season. And Semyon Varlamov, one of the best goalies in the league last year, has struggled immensely.
Barry Trotz’s coaching has also been a storyline this year. He has trusted veteran players too much. His decision to play the veterans over the young guys has backfired, as the kids have outplayed the older players on the team. His biggest grievance this season has been his refusal to put Oliver Wahlstrom and Mathew Barzal together on the first line. This has directly led to the Islanders’ offensive struggles.
The Connection
Now, how does this all connect? There are direct similarities between the Islanders and the Mets. Both teams have had key players massively underperform. Both teams have been terrible offensively. Both teams have endured massive blows to their rosters with injuries. Both teams have had issues with their coaching. Ultimately, both teams have been mediocre.
And just like the Mets, the Islanders will likely miss the playoffs.
So what is next for both teams?
Well, it seems like the Mets are in a great place. They signed Starling Marte and Max Scherzer, plus other players. The Mets seem to be headed in the right direction.
However, for the Islanders, they are in a tricky spot. Their window is not fully shut, but the front office should consider shipping off some players to prepare for the future.
Whether that is Josh Bailey or Palmieri, the Islanders need to make a decision at the Trade Deadline. And if they are unable to compete next year, then it will be time for the Islanders to go into a complete rebuild, like the Mets have done many times in the past.
Hi, my name is Jack Kobil. I am currently attending Woodrow Wilson High School in Washington DC. I am a huge Islanders fan and I love to share my passion for this team.
