I have already mentioned that I am a fan of the New York Islanders. My fandom has several rather bold and also another reasons behind it. I also watch Long Island in New York from afar. And although she is originally from LA, Chloë Grace Moretz, whom I have somehow come to like, is also an Islanders fan—Chloe Moretz is valuable in her own right to me, and if I had one wish involving Chloë Moretz, it would be to go to a game at UBS Arena. Islanders is also an only one hockey about I have an interest.
The new NHL season will begin soon. I enjoy following the Islanders, so I am curious to see what this season will bring. The Islanders are more of a middle-of-the-tab team, and sometimes it can be a little nerve-racking during the season depending on how the team is doing at the time. It is also somewhat about being a die-hard fan, because the Isles are not regularly among the NHL leaders. They last won the Stanley Cup at the beginning of the 1980s, when they won four titles in a row from 1980 to 1983.
Last year, the Islanders had their best season in recent years. They finished the regular season with a record of 43–34–5 and 91 points, which was nine points more than the previous season. At one point during the season, the Islanders were also the best team in New York, and Islanders fans joked that the Isles had taken over New York. Towards the end of the season, however, the Isles were apparently also losing some of what they had earlier in the season, perhaps because of the pressure leading up to the playoffs.
Patrick Roy also ended up leaving his position as head coach, apparently partly because of this finish. I admit that I still have mixed feelings about it, because for most of the season the team was in good positions, unlike in previous seasons. The Islanders had already improved significantly after Patrick Roy took over in January 2024, reaching the playoffs that season.
In 2025/2026 most of the season, the Islanders had their best record in several years – 42–31–5, or 89 points in 78 games. Although they ultimately failed to make the playoffs, they spent a large part of the season in playoff positions and were still third in the Metropolitan Division shortly before the end. Even new head coach changed nothing in the end of this season.
Maybe I am being skeptical, but the Isles could possibly be even worse during 2026/2027 season than they were last year.
In other words, the Isles perhaps may have greater potential as a team in the future, especially thanks to their young players and planned financial flexibility, but this season they could easily be just as good as last year — or even slightly worse. NHL says the Islanders enter the 2026–27 season after a 43–34–5 record and without making the playoffs.