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Islanders News: Tank empty in fatal loss to Habs
TL;DR
The New York Islanders fell short of playoff contention in the 2025-26 season, finishing with 91 points but struggling in the final weeks. Despite a historic rookie season from Matthew Schaefer and a strong performance from Ilya Sorokin, the team missed out on postseason revenue and experience.
So sorry, itâs over. | Getty Images
The 2025-26 New York Islanders have run into their ceiling, falling short of a goal that didnât seem realistic before Matthew Schaefer put up a historic rookie season and Ilya Sorokin bounced back with a Vezina year in the face of a steady stream of high-danger chances. (And we shouldnât forget the secondary assist from their never-to-be-repeated 10-0 overtime record. They didnât fix the power play but they did fix that.)
By running out of steam in the final weeks, the Islanders deprived the franchise of two or three games of playoff revenue, robbed us of some postseason fun (and heartache, always heartache), and kept Schaefer from getting an early taste of postseason intensity. But they also probably spared us the traditional first-round humbling by the Hurricanes or, worse, a tough first-round loss to an in-form Penguins team whose greatest 2025-26 contribution will be driving more people in Toronto mad over the Shanahan-Dubas-yada-yada turning point.
Standings points in the no-tie, 3-on-3, shootout-and-hotdog-eating-contest era of deciding regular season âwinnersâ are always a little bit smoke and mirrors. But last night when I switched my standings view from âWild Cardâ to âLeagueâ to resume assessing where the Islanders are likely to pick in the draft, I was struck by the fact their 91 points â even amid a 3-7 slump â was still ahead of the Western playoff-bound Oilers, Mammoth and Ducks. No no no, my conference doesnât suck, your conference sucks.
Thatâs small comfort that will soon be moot and forgotten, but each of those teams has 9 or 10 OT wins, too. The Islanders: Flawed like some other interesting teams!
And whatâs better, this season Schaefer has shown they have something incredible to build off of, hopefully while Ilya Sorokin (who, donât look now, turns 31 next year) can still be a game changer. Dear Mathieu Darche, please donât Chiarelli, Holland or Bowman this up, and maybe introduce young Schaef-daddy to Connor McDavid this summer, okay?
Islanders News
- About last night: Game over. [LHH] A once feel-good season comes crashing down. [Post]
- Takeaways: a disaster in 55 seconds. [Isles]
- Gross: In the end, they were not playoff-worthy. [Newsday]
- For game 82, Pete DeBoer wouldnât mind seeing players âin game action who are potentially part of this moving forward,â but knows itâs up to Mathieu Darche. In hopefully related news, Ondrej Palat was a scratch last night. [Post]
- Another reason to cheer up: After finishing 32nd the last two AHL seasons, Bridgeport, in its final season, finally made the playoffs again! And Victor Eklund The Greater continues to score. [B-Isles]
- Check this site for lots on Bridgeport, including their clincher, where Matt Maggio returned after a long run of scratches and Cole Eiserman sat out. [Isles in the Sound]
Elsewhere
Last nightâs NHL scores included the Penguins continuing to roll over for the Capitals, almost like theyâd prefer a first round vs. D.C. instead of vs. the Flyers.
- James Hagens had an assist (and penalty) in his debut, as Boston reversed its slide and dealt the Blue Jackets a near-fatal blow. [Sportsnet]
- An emotional and brief speech from Anze Kopitar, who vowed to Kings fans they would try to get into the postseason and create a couple more home games. [NHL]
- Alex Ovechkin âwill think aboutâ playing another year. [NHL]
Q&A
Why did the New York Islanders miss the playoffs in the 2025-26 season?
The Islanders ran out of steam in the final weeks of the season, resulting in a 3-7 slump that ultimately cost them a playoff spot.
What were the key performances for the Islanders during the 2025-26 season?
Matthew Schaefer had a historic rookie season, and Ilya Sorokin delivered a Vezina-worthy performance, but the team still fell short of playoff contention.
How many points did the Islanders finish with in the 2025-26 season?
The Islanders finished the season with 91 points, which was still ahead of some Western playoff-bound teams despite their slump.
What impact did missing the playoffs have on the Islanders' future?
Missing the playoffs deprived the Islanders of potential postseason revenue and experience, but it may have spared them from a first-round loss against stronger teams.
