Despite flashes of success throughout the 2023-24 season, the Islanders  are heading for another early end to their season. The Islanders are on track to miss the postseason for the second time in three seasons. Missing the playoffs will signify a significant blow to the Islanders standing as a team with the capacity to pose a significant threat in the Eastern Conference. The Islanders are no longer the team that went to three straight postseasons from 2019 to 2021 and was a single game away from the Stanley Cup Final. While the Islanders are not yet eliminated from playoff contention and are still mathematically in the hunt, in terms of momentum-it appears that the team is finished. The team has been unable to garner the drive vitally needed after the all-star break to set the tone for the season’s final stretch. Since the all-star break, the Islanders have gone a modest 3-3-2. All signs now point to the Islanders missing the postseason. Which begs the question, what underlying problem has plagued the Islanders this season?

It is no secret that the Islanders have struggled throughout the season. The team has been wildly inconsistent throughout their 2023-24 campaign thus far. The Islanders have struggled with their fair share of low points. From numerous multiple-goal lead collapses to a 7-0 loss on home ice against a division rival and, most recently, a 4-1 collapse against the New York Rangers in front of 79,000 fans at MetLife Stadium. All told, much of the Islanders play this season has been an embarrassment.

On the other hand, the team has also played excellent hockey at various times during the season. Unfortunately, the inconsistency has shaped the Islanders’ identity. Nobody knows which Islanders team will show up. The Islanders have proved that in a 12-game span, they can go 9-1-2, but within the same season they can also lose seven games in a row.

Although there have been brief stretches of promising play, the team’s rough streak this past January was the straw that broke former head coach Lane Lambert’s back. After a 2-5-2 start to 2024, Lou Lamoriello, President of Hockey Operations and General Manager for the New York Islanders, announced Hall of Fame goalie, Patrick Roy would take over behind the Islanders’ bench. Despite a win from Roy in his debut with the Islanders, the team performed dreadfully throughout January winning only three games. With a record of 3-7-3 in January, the Islanders have dug themselves into a deep hole. Now, they must spend the remainder of their season trying to climb out.

Even with Patrick Roy behind the Islanders bench, the inconsistency in the Islanders’ game is still present. The Islanders inability to put together winning play has not gone without notice: Retired  NHL enforcer and former 2016 All-Star Game MVP John Scott recently discussed the Islanders on his Dropping the Gloves Podcast.

Scott and Tim Wirzburger questioned the Islanders’ inability to have success with the core leadership group that they have. Scott said it best:

The Islanders “have the leadership. It’s not like these are a bunch of young kids who haven’t been there and done that. This is a veteran team. One of the most veteran teams in the NHL. And you are blowing leads like this. This should not happen…[and]… the frustrating thing for the GM and the coach and everybody associated with the Islanders is when they are playing good they are very good. And they could beat any team in the league. And they can go out there and compete…”

Unfortunately, the Islanders cannot put wins together on a consistent basis. Consistency is what separates average teams from great teams in the NHL. The teams that can perform night in and night out are the teams that go on to deep postseason runs. Now, with 25 games remaining, it is doubtful the Islanders have enough in the tank to win close to 70% of their remaining games. Currently sitting at 60 points, the Islanders would need to finish at a minimum of around 95 points to squeak into the final wild-card spot. The Islanders require nothing short of a miracle to now have a dominant stretch and squeeze into the playoffs. While the Islanders are a scrappy group, it is highly unlikely that the team will make the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Featured image courtesy of Nick Paul’s goal: Wendell Cruz / USA Today

Ethan Halle

Ethan is an Economics Major at the University of Florida looking to pursue a double major in Sports Management with a minor in political science.