Hurricanes 2, Islanders 1: With a whimper

Meeting the fans for the jersey off their backs finale deal. | NHLI via Getty Images

Come on, man.

The greedy, points-munching, perennially-falling-just-short Carolina Hurricanes couldn’t even concede us a little fun in a meaningless season finale. And the April walking ghost New York Islanders couldn’t even give us something frivolous to celebrate in the same.

Sound Beach native (and feel-good story, to be honest) Brandon Bussi was stingy in making 28 saves to frustrate the Isles on the way to a 2-1 Carolina win in Elmont. Victor Eklund did get his first NHL point — on Bo Horvat’s 300th goal, so maybe they can split the memento puck — but Matthew Schaefer never got his record-breaking goal, despite many shot attempts (10 total, four reaching goal) and encouragement from the home crowd.

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Bo Horvat said he’s definitely giving puck for his 300th goal to Victor Eklund for his first NHL point.

— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) April 15, 2026

As time wound down with it still 1-1, you started to think maybe it was setting the stage for another insta-classic Schaefer OT winner, something to soften the sting in the wounds of this past month. But then the Hurricanes used a sustained shift in the Isles zone and not a few brushes with David Rittich in his crease to set the table for the go-ahead goal with a little over five minutes to go.

The Isles pushed for an equalizer, including with Rittich pulled for a sixth attacker, but the Hurricanes defense was in playoff-ready form, diving to block passes and fighting in board battles to win clears.

As I rooted for one last highlight, it made me realize something: most of the 59 points in Schaefer’s rookie season meant something. He did not pile on a lot of garbage-time goals or young-punk showboat plays; his goals this season were usually huge moments — OT winners, equalizers, comebacks. His assists came from drawing attention to him and freeing up a teammate. Maybe it’s just as well that he didn’t get a stat-padding record breaker when nothing was on the line.

While Pete DeBoer dressed some futures in Eklund and perhaps Isaiah George — and Liam Foudy with a random callup, too — he also started Anders Lee in possibly his final Islanders game and gave Ondrej Palat one more shot in what certainly should be.

#Isles Pete DeBoer asked about Isaiah George: "He's an NHL defenseman."

— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) April 15, 2026

The lone Isles goal came on a delayed penalty with a sixth attacker, Eklund, Schaefer, Mat Barzal and Bo Horvat exchanging the puck and places in display of talent and mobility that just might hint at a brighter future. Add Cal Ritchie to that mix and you have something to build on, especially if they progress faster and with more support than Nelsons, Baileys and Okposos of the Snow era.

This franchise won’t be tearing it down, so they need to add real support to the pieces that are here. Mathieu Darche can’t waste assets and time on Brian Rolstons and Palats.

That means some hard decisions, too, but also smart asset management. If Anders Lee wants to stay, he can still be useful at a lower rate; and they need to get assets back for signed players, not let UFAs who still hold some value walk out the door. But if he or his agent are pushing for what the market will pay mid-30s guys like Brayden Schenn, well, we’ve already got one of those.

But that’s for us to discuss and debate again and again in the coming days. Tonight we saw the end of some kind of era, we’re just not sure of the details or what to call the era yet. Adam Pelech had a bounce-back year and the first 82-game season of his career…you wonder whether he or someone else from the blueline is cut in the transition.

On the MSG post-game where they thank each other and the crew and reflect on the year, Thomas Hickey talked about how after the disappointment from this post-Olympic fades, we’ll remember it as a magical season: watching Schaefer drop into our laps and become an instant superstar made it so. The crazy and uncharacteristic (and ultimately, unsustainable) wins made it one hell of a ride.

Darche’s first season is in the books, with mixed results, some highs and some lows, and an adventurous route to where (I think?) most of us expected they would ultimately land by Game 82. How they got there was the surprising part, but it’s what made October through March more than just a nightly Did You F-ing See This Schaefer Kid Last Night? show.

#Isles Matthew Schaefer on relationship with team's fans at UBS Arena: "It's the most fun I've ever had in front of fans. The most fun I've ever had playing hockey. When you come out and the fans are chanting your name and cheering behind us, it's the coolest feeling ever."

— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) April 15, 2026

Ironically, Schaefer may be the biggest selling point to attract new talent. But while the cap is going up, the 2026 UFA market is depressingly thin. Darche has his work cut out for him to make meaningful trades while also carrying nagging weights like Mayfield, Engvall and Duclair.

Season’s done, but Darche’s job is just getting started.

LHH readers and commenters: Thanks for riding with us this season. Come back tomorrow, throughout the summer, and whenever a banner is warranted.