Woeful Islanders Now With out Barzal and Pelech As Lackluster Season Continues To Unfold

The New York Islanders’ season began poorly, however issues simply bought worse for them with the injury to star center Mathew Barzal, who suffered an upper-body injury Wednesday against Columbus and is now on long-term injured reserve (LTIR). The Isles additionally misplaced defenseman Adam Pelech of their recreation Friday in opposition to Buffalo, and each Pelech and Barzal are sidelined for the subsequent 4-to-6 weeks.

On high of that, defensemen Mike Reilly and Alexander Romanov didn’t play Sunday when the Islanders took on the New York Rangers. And the Isles were already without left winger Anthony Duclair. Issues are a calamity on Lengthy Island, and there’s no answer on the horizon that can give them the bump they want.

Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello has confirmed to be a artful roster builder over the course of his Hockey Corridor-of-Fame profession, however no person other than grasp illusionist Criss Angel can handle what presently ails the Islanders. They’re already the second-worst staff within the NHL by way of goals-for common, with simply 2.25 goals-for per recreation. And the Isles are additionally already the second-worst staff within the Metropolitan Division, only one standings level forward of the eighth-place Philadelphia Flyers. It actually can’t have gone a lot worse for the Islanders, and until they’ll give you some miracle tonic for what ails them, the Isles may very well be out of the playoff image by the top of this month.

The Islanders’ schedule shall be doing them no favors within the close to future. Certainly, of their subsequent 10 video games, the Isles tackle Pittsburgh, Ottawa, New Jersey, Edmonton, Vancouver, Seattle, Calgary, Detroit (twice) and St. Louis. Not many tender touches there.

The Isles’ protection – presently nineteenth within the league at 3.08 goals-against per recreation – is not fairly as poor because the offense however that may solely achieve this a lot. They should be a lot better with the puck, and there’s actually no proof they’re in a position to try this. Dropping Barzal, their most dynamic performer on offense, is a crushing blow. However even when Barzal returns to motion in December within the best-case situation, there’s no assure the Islanders shall be more practical on offense.

Lamoriello can’t go together with half-measures to repair what’s improper along with his staff. If any NHL staff wants a blockbuster deal proper now, it’s the Islanders. Maybe it’s time to drag the set off on a Brock Nelson commerce, as Nelson is a UFA at this season’s finish (all financial info via Puck Pedia) and he may get them a strong haul in a commerce. The identical goes for main point-getter Kyle Palmieri, additionally a UFA following this season. Nelsen and Palmieri have restricted no-trade clauses, however we are able to’t think about both of them digging of their toes and demanding to stay on Lengthy Island.

The writing is on the wall for this Islanders group, and at this level, Lamoriello should be targeted on the long-term way forward for this staff. Anything is simply lipstick on a pig, and Isles followers would perceive if Lamoriello targeted on a significant rebuild. The choice – making an attempt desperately simply to be on the fringes of the playoff race, nowhere near Stanley Cup rivalry – is an abysmal thought and one that can convey a lot disappointment to the fan base.

All groups should cope with accidents at one level or one other every season, however the very best groups have the depth to hold them via tough patches. The Isles aren’t a kind of groups. They entered the season as a protracted shot to do main harm within the win/loss column, and the whole lot we’ve seen from them up to now this yr confirms how shallow their expertise pool actually is.

The following month-and-a-half shall be a wrestle for the Islanders till Barzal returns, however we’d argue the remainder of the common season shall be simply as tough for them. Being with out Barzal will create alternatives for different Isles gamers, however the most probably outcome for this lineup shall be much more losses than wins.

It’s already ugly on Lengthy Island, and it’s now nearly assuredly going to be uglier. And as New York-area wrestling icon Paul Heyman is famous for saying, “That’s not a prediction, that’s a spoiler.”