New York Islanders 2026-27 Preview: Schaefer Leads a Team With Work to Do

The Islanders finished 43-34-5 for 91 points and still landed sixth in the Metropolitan Division, missing the playoffs despite holding third place as late as April 4. The off-season addressed depth but did not overhaul the core problems: a power play that ranked 30th at 16.5 per cent and a 229-goal scoring output that ranked 25th. Hiring Peter DeBoer as coach with four games left in the season was a bold signal of intent, but the roster he inherited needs more than a new voice behind the bench.

Last season in review

The numbers tell a story of a team carried by two players and a goalie. Mathew Barzal led the offence with 72 points (19G, 53A), Bo Horvat chipped in 57 (31G, 26A), and Matthew Schaefer posted a remarkable 59 points (23G, 36A) as a rookie defenceman, winning the Calder Trophy unanimously. Behind them, the offence dried up fast. Ilya Sorokin went 29-24-2 with a .906 save percentage, led the NHL in high-danger saves (452) and high-danger save percentage (.864), and finished second to Andrei Vasilevskiy in Vezina voting. He kept the Islanders alive on more nights than he should have had to. The power play was a recurring disaster, and the team was outscored over 82 games. That combination is not a recipe for a deep run in the Metropolitan Division.

Ins and outs

• In: Peter DeBoer (hired as head coach, April 5)
• In: Rocky Thompson (hired as assistant coach, power play, May 5)
• In: Matias Maccelli (signed, one-year contract, July 1)
• In: Vitek Vanecek (signed, one-year contract, July 1)
• In: Matthew Kessel (signed, one-year contract, July 1)
• In: Tony DeAngelo (re-signed, two-year contract, June 26)
• In: Victor Eklund (top prospect, made NHL debut April 14, in camp competition for a roster spot)
• Out: Anders Lee (signed with Utah Mammoth, July 1)
• Out: David Rittich (signed with New Jersey Devils, July 3)
• Out: Patrick Roy (replaced as head coach)
• Out: Ray Bennett (left assistant coaching role, May 21)

Returning from injury: Kyle Palmieri (torn ACL, Nov. 28), Alexander Romanov (shoulder surgery), Pierre Engvall (hip and ankle surgeries, missed all of 2025-26), Semyon Varlamov (both knees replaced, last played Nov. 29, 2024).

Note: Mathew Barzal aggravated an injury in mid-September and his availability for the Sept. 30 season opener in Toronto is in question.

The big question

Can the power play become functional under Rocky Thompson? The unit has ranked no higher than 19th since 2023-24 and sat dead last or near it the past two seasons. DeBoer brings a track record of deep playoff runs, but he cannot manufacture goals on the man-advantage without better execution from the personnel already in the building.

X-factor

Kyle Palmieri spent 10 months rehabbing a torn ACL and is back in camp. If the 35-year-old forward can return close to his pre-injury form, he adds a net-front presence and finishing ability that this offence genuinely lacks. He has been skating on the top line with Bo Horvat and Simon Holmstrom at camp. A Palmieri who is not fully himself is a roster spot that could go to someone younger and cheaper.

Bold prediction

Schaefer takes another step, Sorokin stays elite, and the Islanders sneak into the playoffs as a wild card, but the power play costs them at least one series.

The outlook

DeBoer is coaching his sixth NHL team and has taken his teams to at least the third round in each of his past six seasons that qualified for the playoffs. The foundation in Schaefer and Sorokin is real. But the supporting cast is thin, the power play has been broken for three straight years, and Barzal's health is already a concern before the Sept. 30 opener in Toronto. General manager Mathieu Darche appears to be playing a longer game, waiting for the prospect pipeline to mature. This season will test whether patience is a strategy or an excuse.