Isles Den Podcast

Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast!

It was a banner night in Nashville. The Islanders beat the Predators 4-3 in a shootout for their first win at Bridgestone Arena in nine years, Matthew Schaefer became the first player in NHL history to play every second of a five minute overtime, Semyon Varlamov picked up his first NHL win since 2024, and Brayden Schenn buried his 300th career goal on a beautiful feed from Ondrej Palat. At 6-4-2 without Mathew Barzal, Cal Ritchie and Matias Maccelli, you have to be happy with where this team sits, and Pete DeBoer is a massive reason why.

The sophomore takeoff is real for Schaefer, whose passing has gone from the one non-elite part of his game to a weapon, and the third line has found something. Palat has officially silenced the critics, and Jack explains why it is okay to admit we were all wrong about him. Anthony Duclair is scoring consistently, Jean-Gabriel Pageau has picked up his game, and Victor Eklund is settling in after making it past game ten. Jack also comes to the defense of Varlamov, who has points in three of his four starts and keeps getting better, because the discourse around him has gotten out of hand. It was not all roses, though. Jack cannot wrap his head around the Kyle McLean situation, with the Islanders carrying a forward they will not play even while shorthanded. The Swedes, Simon Holmstrom and Emil Heineman, keep flashing first line skill with bottom six consistency, and the four on three power play in overtime nearly gave the game away with the same four skaters out there for the full four minutes.

Chapters

• 00:00 Intro: A Banner Night in Nashville
• 00:47 Isles Den Content Updates
• 01:40 A 6-4-2 Start Without Barzal, Ritchie and Maccelli
• 02:30 Matthew Schaefer's Sophomore Takeoff
• 04:35 The Kyle McLean Situation 06:10 Victor Eklund Is Settling In
• 07:30 Ondrej Palat Silenced the Critics and Set Up Schenn's 300th
• 09:10 Simon Holmstrom and Emil Heineman
• 10:20 Special Teams
• 11:40 In Defense of Semyon Varlamov
• 15:00 Mailbag

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Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast!

Coming to you Sunday morning after the Islanders stunned the Maple Leafs 4-1 in Toronto.

It was a statement win that should make every fan proud, but one that came at a cost, with both Cal Ritchie and Matias Maccelli leaving the game.

The stars are carrying this thing to another level. Bo Horvat is playing the best hockey of his Islanders career, scoring the game-winner, setting up Simon Holmstrom, and turning whoever lands on his wing into a producer.

Matthew Schaefer continues to look like a 99 overall playing against normal humans, and Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov have the Islanders leading the NHL in goals saved above expected.

Credit Pete DeBoer too, as the high danger chances against have been cut down dramatically. The depth also showed up in Toronto. Anthony Duclair answered his benching with a goal, Holmstrom scored twice after moving up to the first line, and Ondrej Palat put together a dominant 20-0 shot attempt night.

The injuries sting, though. Ritchie goes down at a pivotal point in his development, and Maccelli got hurt playing the best hockey of his career, on a five-game point streak and just two minutes after Jack tweeted the Islanders should extend him. With no Mathew Barzal timeline in sight, Jack ran through the Hamilton call-up candidates, explained why it won't be Cole Eiserman and why Victor Eklund could be headed down, and previewed Tuesday night against the Anaheim Ducks.

Chapters

• 00:00 Intro
• 00:30 New York Islanders vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Postgame
• 01:00 Anthony Duclair, Simon Holmstrom and Ondrej Palat Shine
• 02:30 Cal Ritchie and Matias Maccelli Injuries
• 07:00 Pete DeBoer Cutting Down the High Danger Chances
• 08:52 Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov
• 09:00 Matthew Schaefer and Bo Horvat Are Playing at Superstar Levels
• 12:08 Do Mitchell Chaffee and Kyle MacLean enter the lineup?
• 14:55 Can The Isles Sustain Their Winning Formula?

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Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast!

First things first: the Bo Horvat panic was for nothing, he didn't miss a game while Frank Nazar got a two game suspension for the hit.

The Islanders sit at 3-3 without Mathew Barzal. Today we covered the heartbreaking 5-3 loss to the Lightning, the bounce back 3-2 win over the Canucks, and opened up the mailbag to answer all of your submitted Islanders questions.

The Tampa game gave us the play of the NHL season so far... Matthew Schaefer crossing up Anthony Cirelli, (a perennial Selke finalist), before burying the shot that flipped the whole game. The Isles went toe to toe with a Cup contender without Barzal on an off night from Ilya Sorokin, not too bad!

Against Vancouver it was Kyle Palmieri's turn to answer the bell as notched two goals, while Matias Maccelli picked up two assists and is starting to look like the player I bet big on all summer.

Credit to Pete DeBoer too: ice time on this team is being earned, with Ondrej Palat and Anthony Duclair climbing the lineup instead of riding their contracts.

Lastly, we ran through the early Metropolitan Division picture, explained why this stretch reminds him of year one under Barry Trotz, and with Barzal's return around the corner, took your questions on who comes out of the lineup.

Chapters

• 00:00 Bo Horvat Is NOT injured
• 01:20 NYI vs. TBL Recap: A Heartbreaking Loss
• 03:30 Matthew Schaefer's Play of the Season
• 06:00 A Moral Victory Without Barzal
• 07:00 NYI vs. VAN Recap: Kyle Palmieri Bounces Back
• 09:45 Ice Time Is Being Earned Under Pete DeBoer
• 11:30 Metropolitan Division Check-In
• 13:15 The Barry Trotz Year One Parallel
• 14:00 Q&A: Your Islanders Questions

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Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast!

The New York Islanders bounced back from Tuesday's loss at Madison Square Garden with a mature 4-1 win at UBS Arena over the Chicago Blackhawks at UBS Arena to even the record at 2-2. Sadly, the biggest takeaway from the night is unfortunately the health of Bo Horvat, who took a hit to the head from Frank Nazar while scoring the empty netter and is now being evaluated.

On the bright side, Ilya Sorokin leads the NHL in saves above expected and looks like the best goalie in the world right now — the Vezina conversation should already be starting. Horvat buried a power play goal from Matthew Schaefer, Emil Heineman ripped home another one, and Logan Stanley did his best Mathew Barzal impression to set up Anthony Duclair.

Jack gave Stanley and a rejuvenated Duclair their flowers, and explained why the Brock Nelson for Cal Ritchie trade is becoming the dream scenario — especially when you see what eight years of rebuilding looks like in Chicago.

On the down side, Alexander Romanov is out for the season with a torn ACL, and Jack broke down why the sky isn't falling on that contract with where the salary cap is headed.

Kyle Palmieri still doesn't look like himself coming off his own ACL recovery, and with Mathew Barzal only in the initial phase of his return, and I guessed the lineup for tomorrow against the Lightning with Cal Ritchie potentially centering the first line and Bo Horvat being out recovering.

Enjoy!

Chapters

• 00:00 NYI vs. CHI Game Recap and the Bo Horvat Injury
• 04:15 Kyle Palmieri Doesn't Look Like Himself Yet
• 07:00 Logan Stanley and Anthony Duclair Deserve Their Flowers
• 10:15 Alexander Romanov Is Out for the Season
• 12:30 What Does the Lineup Look Like Without Horvat and Barzal?
• 18:04 Ilya Sorokin Is the Best Goalie in the NHL

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Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast!

Jack wasn't planning on recording tonight, but after the Islanders fell 3-2 to the Rangers in game three of the season, there were too many takeaways to sit on — both positive and negative.

On the bright side, Victor Eklund and Cal Ritchie continue to look like foundational pieces, with Ritchie outwaiting Shesterkin to tie the game and Eklund showing a level of grit you don't expect from a rookie. Ondrej Palat and Brayden Schenn have been two of the biggest surprises of the young season, Matias Maccelli picked up his first point as an Islander, and Semyon Varlamov made the timely saves to give his team a chance late.

On the other side, the third line and Kyle Palmieri are struggling, the special teams were a rough watch, Ryan Pulock's tough start continued, and Matthew Schaefer finally had a human night after shouldering a massive workload. With Alexander Romanov leaving the game injured, Jack broke down what the defense pairs could look like going forward and why Mathew Barzal's return can't come soon enough.

Enjoy!

Chapters

• 00:00 NYI vs. NYR Game Recap
• 02:57 Victor Eklund and Cal Ritchie Look Like Foundational Pieces
• 05:45 Ondrej Palat and Brayden Schenn Are Surprising
• 08:55 The Realities
• 11:50 Romanov Injury Fallout, Barzal Updates and the Blackhawks Up Next
• Romanov Injury Fallout, Barzal Updates and the Blackhawks Up Next

Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast!

Joined by Brandon. (@Brandon266946), we recapped the Islanders statement 6-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils during the Isles home-opener on Saturday.

We also discussed how Victor Eklund and Calum Ritchie are impressing already early on this season, while touching on the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs from Wednesday. They delve into Pete DeBoer's strategies, and the overall dynamics of this team as they navigate the early part of the season.

Playoff hopes, prospect pipeline, and coaching impact carried us through a very positive podcast that we hope you enjoy!

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and NYI vs. NJ Game Recap
• 03:00 Victor Eklund Scores His First NHL Goal
• 05:59 Ondrej Palat Impressing!
• 08:48 Matthew Schaefer and Adam Pelech are DYNAMIC
• 12:01 Cole Eiserman Development Is Trending Well
• 21:47 Can The Islanders Make The Playoffs?
• 25:26 Can Pete DeBoer be the next Barry Trotz?
• 30:17 What does the lineup look like with Barzal coming back?
• 38:21 Patience is key when evaluating Cal Ritchie or Victor Eklund

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Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast. Hockey is officially back!

Today Jack shared all of his takeaways from the New York Islanders season opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs, a game where the Isles came up just short on the scoreboard but left plenty of reasons to be impressed. We kicked things off with a reaction to Pierre LeBrun's new article on Mathieu Darche before getting into the on-ice takeaways.

Cal Ritchie and Victor Eklund both looked good in their first game action of the season, Emil Heineman buried an excellent goal, and Jack made his case for why Simon Holmstrom deserves an extended run on the first line. It's one game out of 82, and if the Islanders bring this level of play every night, the results will come.

The live postgame shows are back for the season and streaming on TikTok, so make sure you're following along after every Islanders game.

Enjoy!

Chapters

• 00:00 Intro
• 0:44 Mathieu Darche Pierre LeBrun article reaction
• 09:47 NYI vs. TOR Postgame: Cal Ritchie, Victor Eklund, Emil Heineman, Matthew Schaefer impress!
• 17:15 Breaking Down Simon Holmstrom's Role
• 19:15: Islanders Ownership Sells 15%

Pierre LeBrun/Mathieu Darche Article

Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast for our annual season preview show!

Today Jack shared his takeaways from the preseason matchup with the Rangers where Kashawn Aitcheson and Matias Maccelli impressed, graded Mathieu Darche's offseason, and laid out the blueprint for how this team can surprise people under new head coach Pete DeBoer before answering all of the New York Islanders questions from you guys!

Fans were wondering how the Mathew Barzal injury shakes up the opening night lineup, if Victor Eklund has already locked up a roster spot, and if Simon Holmstrom can finally break out in a contract year.

We had some fun discussions like my ideal power play units and my opening night forward predictions as well. We also touched on why Matthew Schaefer and Ilya Sorokin are the two true game breakers who make this team so hard to predict, and Semyon Varlamov's incredible return to the crease after two years away.

Hockey is officially back on Long Island as the regular season kicks off next Wednesday in Toronto. The live streamed postgame shows return next week too, now streaming on TikTok, so make sure you're following along all season long!

Chapters

* 00:00 Intro and Isles Content Updates
* 01:09 Preseason NYI vs. NYR: Matias Maccelli and Kashawn Aitcheson Impress
* 04:20 Grading Mathieu Darche and the Isles Offseason
* 05:53 Season Preview & Predictions
* 08:16 How great will Matthew Schaefer and Ilya Sorokin be?
* 08:43 NHL Goaltending Landscape
* 10:30 Mathew Barzal Injury
* 13:22 NYI Team Depth, Can It Improve?
* 14:49 Semyon Varlamov Returns
* 15:56 Victor Eklund Is Impressing Everyone
* 17:40 The Pete DeBoer fit
* 19:12 Q&A

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Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast for Episode 12! Before you listen, this is not the type of betting you are thinking of. It's reference to some players the franchise has high hopes for that I find to be less bullish on.

There was a little more to talk about now than a usual August thanks to the New York Islanders innovative idea of an exclusive fan made jersey contest, we have more to talk about than usual for a hockey podcast in August. We touched on the polarizing jerseys, some x-factor players for next season like Simon Holmstrom, Victor Eklund, and Cal Ritchie. The mailbag and some Isles prospect talk took us home.

Enjoy!

Chapters

* 00:00 Islanders Fan Jersey Contest: The Fisherman…

* 02:24 Is Simon Holmstrom Primed For A Breakout Season?

* 05:30 NYI Team Depth

* 07:35 Isles Prospects

* 11:35 Roster Management

* 12:55 Q&A

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Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast, featuring Eric!

In the dog days of summer, we got a little creative by reacting to an AI powered predictive model of how the New York Islanders roster will perform under new HC Pete DeBoer.

There were two players comparisons for each players: One being how their upside might look, and their "floor." For example: Simon Holmstrom's ceiling out of formerly coached Pete DeBoer players was William Karlsson, and his floor was Nathan Horton.

The google document of all the answers and logic behind them is available here: Claude Comps

Let us know what you thought was the most egregious and what you thought made the most sense.

Enjoy!

Takeaways

• Player Predictions Under Pete DeBoer's System
• Insights into Player Comps
• Predictive Models and Player Projections

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Podcast Format
• 03:16 Player Comparisons Under Pete DeBoer's System
• 10:31 Insights into Player Comps
• 32:36 Predictive Models and NYI Player Projections Discussion

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Offseason Mailbag: Does Victor Eklund Start In The NHL?
Isles Den Episode 9 | Free Agent Frenzy
Isles Den Episode 8 | Islanders Perspective Of This Insane NHL Offseason...

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Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast for Episode 10. Today out of appreciation for the loyal listeners we ran a mailbag from X and Reddit where Jack answered all the New York Islanders submitted questions and comments.

Fans were wondering if Mathieu Darche was done for the offseason, if Kyle Palmieri can bounce back, whether or not this team will be aggressive if things go south next NHL season and if this team can surprise some experts to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2027. We had some fun discussions like who I think was the best UFA signing in team history as well.

Things are pretty quiet on Long Island as we are in the middle of July. Outside of the NHL Schedule Release and Islanders alternate jersey designs being submitted, I’d expect the hockey news to be slow until we get closer to training camp.

Enjoy!

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction
• 00:50 NY Islanders Ownership: Discussing the roles of Jon Ledecky, Scott Malkin and John Collins
• 02:52 Rebuilding vs. Retooling NHL General Managers
• 06:11 Does Victor Eklund start next season in the NHL?
• 08:30 Is Semyon Varlamov the best free agency signing in Islanders history?
• 12:25 Will Mathieu Darche add more free agents this summer?
• 14:25 Will Pete DeBoer be able to maximize the talent on this Isles team?
• 18:40 What happens if the Islanders spiral next year?
• 20:40 Would you rather trade Adam Pelech or Alexander Romanov?
• 24:40 Is letting Anders Lee walk the correct decision?
• 31:05 How will Trade Deadline look next year on Long Island?
• 33:45 Will the Islanders make the playoffs this season?
• 36:20 Evaluating the first season of Mathieu Darche

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Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast!

In this episode, Jack and Data Dom break down the opening day of NHL free agency and Mathieu Darche's first moves of the summer. He reacts to the Islanders signing Matias Maccelli, Vitek Vanecek, and Matthew Kessel, and dives into the bigger storyline of the day:

Captain Anders Lee heading to the open market after the two sides couldn't close the gap on a new deal. The conversation covers what Lee's potential departure means for the locker room and the franchise's direction, whether Darche made the right call letting his asking price walk, and what these depth additions signal about the team's approach to filling out the roster around the edges.

THANK YOU for all of your questions! Enjoy!

Topics:

• Free Agency Reaction: Breaking down the Maccelli, Vanecek, and Kessel signings
• Anders Lee to Market: What it means for the captain to hit UFA and whether the Isles made the right choice
• Mathieu Darche's Decision-Making: Evaluating the GM's approach on Day 1 of free agency
• Roster Construction: How these moves fit into the Islanders' bigger-picture plan
• Cap Space and What's Next: What's still left on Darche's to-do list this offseason
• Around the NHL

Data Dom: twitter.com/datadomNY

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Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast!

Today we have a NY Islanders Beat Reporter Stefen Rosner from The Elmonters as a special guest to discuss the New York Islanders plans for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, Mathieu Darche's offseason goals, a look at who's still on the NHL Trade Market and a brief Q&A.

Chapters:

• 00:50 The Islanders miss out on Jordan Kyrou
• 05:00 Is the market underrating the next season's NYI team?
• 14:15 Do the Islanders upgrade through the NHL Trade Market, Free Agency or stand pat?
• 41:15 Q&A
• 110:12 Mathieu Darche and the Islanders long-term plan

Enjoy!

You can find Stefen's work at The Elmonters right here:

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Welcome back to the Isles Den Podcast!

In this episode, Jack discusses trade talk, the Islanders roster, and the Stanley Cup-winning Carolina Hurricanes. He shares his thoughts on players he's willing to move, potential trade targets, and the Islanders cup contention timeline. The conversation also covers the asking price for Jordan Kyrou, the need for player protection, and the Isles approach to building a young roster. The conversation covers a range of topics including player contracts, power play struggles, potential trade targets, and the NHL draft. It also delves into the Islanders' playoff prospects, the GM's decision-making, and the potential impact of new acquisitions. The host shares insights on specific players, trade scenarios, and the team's future prospects.

THANK YOU for all of your questions! Enjoy!

Topics:
* Trade Talk: Thoughts on players he's willing to move and potential trade targets.
* Team Building: The conversation explores the team's cup contention timeline and the approach to building a young roster.
* Power play struggles and coaching impact
* Potential trade targets and acquisitions
* NHL draft and player selection
* Islanders' playoff prospects and Mathieu Darche's decision-making

Chapters

* 00:00 Trade Talk and Roster Overview
* 01:00 New York Islanders Offseason Outlook
* 05:42 Player Protection and Potential Trade Targets
* 16:00 Cup Contention Timeline and Roster Building
* 35:07 Player Contracts and Buyouts
* 01:03:39 NHL Draft and Player Selection

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Jack is back with Episode 6 of the Isles Den Podcast to share some thoughts on some of the recent hockey news this week.

The offseason is nearing, the NHL rumors are thriving and New York Islanders GM Mathieu Darche has some big decisions to make for the franchise regarding the Draft, Trade and Free Agency Markets.

NYI team captain Anders Lee seems to be heading to a new team this summer, Mathew Barzal's name is being discussed around the league in trade talks, is Dylan Larkin a good fit for the Isles?

We touched on all of that and took your questions from Twitter and Reddit. Thanks for listening, hope you enjoy the show!

Chapters

• 00:00 New York Islanders Headlines
• 06:11 Anders Lee's Legacy and Impact
• 11:59 NHL Player Mentorship and Development
• 20:31 NHL Free Agency and Trade Targets
• 26:05 Ideal Islanders Power Play Personnel
• 34:39 Isles Offseason Mock Trades and Q&A

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Welcome back to the fifth episode of the Isles Den Podcast!

Jack and Mark previewed the 2026 NHL Entry Draft coming up in June and discussed the current state of New York Islanders prospects.

Mark gave high-level analysis of all the popular names in the pipeline like Cole Eiserman, Victor Eklund, Kashawn Aitcheson and more! We talked about the NYI needs moving forward and how they should be focused on game-changing forwards as well as Right-Shot Defensemen.

Enjoy!

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Draft Content
• 06:17 Evaluation of Defensive Prospects
• 23:10 Discussion on Victor Eklund and Forward Prospects
• 35:33 NHL Pipeline Assessment
• 50:16 Draft Strategy: Difference Makers at Forward
• 56:33 Best Player Available vs. Team Needs

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Welcome back to the fourth episode of the Isles Den Podcast! Dom and I discussed the usual Season Recap topics!

Talking points:

• Season expectations and team performance were not aligned, leading to disappointment.
• The firing of the coach and the impact of specific players on the team were significant topics of discussion. Player contracts and potential trades
• Impact of coaching on team performance Player performance and impact on the team
• Team statistics and performance in the playoffs
• Upcoming draft and free agency

Chapters

• 00:00 Season Expectations and Projections
• 06:26 The Collapse of the Islanders
• 14:46 Analytics and Player Impact
• 24:36 Firing of the Coach and Coaching Decisions
• 45:04 Impact of Coaching on Team Performance
• 53:51 Player Performance and Impact

Enjoy!

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Welcome back for your weekly Isles Den Podcast Episode! Last week Jack sat down with Thomas (@PalffyNYI16 on X), the first ever follower of Isles Den to discuss the LONG time season ticket holder's thoughts on the 2025-26 season.

We discussed:

• Sorokin's exceptional performance and the Islanders' goaltending issues were key factors in the team's season.
• Fan engagement and vibe shift at games were notable aspects of the Islanders' season.
• The conversation highlighted the reasons for the Islanders' collapse and discussed underrated and most improved players. Assessment of trades and their impact on team performance
• Evaluation of coaching changes and playoff implications
• Roster analysis, player retention, and offseason strategy
• Impact of power play on playoff expectations

Chapters

• 00:00 Season Recap and Expectations
• 05:04 Vibe Shift at Games and Fan Engagement
• 25:03 Underrated and Most Improved Players
• 35:13 Assessing the Trades
• 40:23 Player Pairing and Team Expectations
• 45:37 Player Evaluation and Offseason Moves
• 51:04 Coaching Assessment and Offseason Strategy
• 58:40 Offseason Moves and Roster Adjustments
• 01:05:11 Power Play Analysis and Playoff Implications

Enjoy!

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Welcome back for another Isles Den Podcast episode, this time Jack is joined by some familiar faces we saw all season long on the live streamed postgame show series on YouTube!

Eric and Phil are the first of a few more guests coming on to share their perspective on the 2025-26 New York Islanders season.

Below are the questions I asked their opinion's on, and we discussed plenty more:

What were the realistic expectations heading into the year, and how far off were the actual results?

Then we dig into the collapse — why the Islanders missed the playoffs and what caused that late-March/early-April meltdown (yes, trades get mentioned…).

Phil and Eric also spotlight the most underrated contributor on the roster, call out the player who might be getting too much credit.

They shared their raw thoughts on the shocking coaching change that came with just two games left on the schedule.

Finally we look ahead to the offseason: which UFAs and RFAs should the Islanders bring back, and who should they let walk?

Overall this is a passionate, honest, and insightful discussion between us three. Hope you enjoy!

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Welcome to the the first episode of the Isles Den podcast! We covered a comprehensive review of the 2025-26 New York Islanders season, discussing player performances, coaching decisions, and potential offseason moves. The host shares insights, opinions, and answers fan questions, providing a detailed analysis of the state of the NY Islanders.

Takeaways

• Islanders' 2025-26 season review: What went well and how they missed the playoffs
• Unforgettable season from Matthew Schaefer
• Why this was a Vezina Trophy deserving season for Ilya Sorokin
• Coaching decisions and evaluating player performances, why we should be excited about the change from Patrick Roy to Pete DeBoer
• What to expect this offseason from GM Mathieu Darche

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