The month of March has not been an ideal one for the New York Islanders. The team has won only five games in regulation since the Olympic break, though they have picked up four overtime wins as well. The Islanders are the only team in NHL history to win ten straight overtime games and they remain undefeated in overtime games (not including shoot outs). Seven games have been lost by the Islanders since the break, making their record 9-7-0 since February 26.
Despite having a higher win percentage, the Islanders have lost during critical moments, and are not being helped by other teams in the Eastern Conference, and have found themselves in and out of the playoffs. The team is no longer in control of their playoff destiny, even if they win out. So while the team needs to play their best for the next nine games, they also must hope that the teams above them falter in the next few weeks.
The Islanders’ power play is still struggling this season, falling to 30th in the league. The team is only 16.2% effective with the man advantage. They have allowed six shorthanded goals this season. Their penalty kill is better, ranked 9th in the league, but they falter on the road, dropping to 19th.
David Rittich has struggled as of late, having three of his last four starts falling below his season save percentage of .895. Ilya Sorokin, with a .914 season save percentage, has been performing well since the Olympic break, but he cannot backstop the team to a playoff spot—never mind a Cup. Sorokin has seven shutouts this season.
Bo Horvat leads the team in goals, with 30 as of March 26. He has scored six goals since the break, but has only had one multipoint night, with two assists on March 13. Horvat also leads the team in game winning goals, with seven.
Matthew Schaefer comes in second in goals for the Islanders, having scored 22 so far this season, and continuing to break records. Most recently, he broke the record for highest time on ice for a teenager with 31:59 on March 24, though that is arguably not a good thing. Similarly to Sorokin, Schaefer cannot be the only member of this team if they want to make the playoffs and/or go on a run. Schaefer also has 32 assists and a +18 rating. It will be hard to beat him when looking at the Calder Trophy this season.
50 POINTS! WE REPEAT 50 POINTS! đź“Ł
Matthew Schaefer’s UNBELIEVABLE!!! pic.twitter.com/4a3uMYWGTp
— NHL (@NHL) March 20, 2026
Emil Heineman rounds out the top three goal scorers with 20.
Mathew Barzal leads the team in assists, having 47 and a +15 rating so far this season. Barzal had had three multipoint games since the Olympic break. The forward has come under fire for lacking on the back check this season, even being benched in the game against Buffalo on January 24. Though, he is still one of the highest performing players on the team and leads the Islanders in total points.
At the trade deadline, the Islanders acquired Brayden Schenn from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Jonathan Drouin, Marcus Gidlof (who plays in the SHL), and two 2026 draft picks. Before the trade, Drouin recorded 21 points for the Islanders. Schenn had 28 points prior to the trade, and has recorded four since coming to Long Island. The center added to the Islanders’ forward depth and was theoretically added to help push the team towards the playoffs. He is on year six of eight of a $6.5m AAV contract and is 34 years old.
The March 26 game against the Dallas Stars was the Islanders’ best showing recently. The team was consistent in forward pressure, something Patrick Roy desires in his team. They kept up with the high-octane offense brought by the Stars and produced more high danger chances. Horvat and Calm Ritchie scored during the matchup. The team looked cohesive and connected, eventually earning a 2-1 win over a team currently slotted into the playoffs already.
The Islanders have also signed Cole Eiserman and Kashawn Aitcheson to their entry-level contracts. Eiserman’s season with Boston University came to an upsetting end in March. The forward, who has struggled with injuries in his career, scored eight goals and four assists in 14 games played in the NCAA this season. Eiserman scored two goals and had one assist in this year’s World Juniors for Team USA. Aitcheson has scored 28 goals and tallied 42 assists this season with the OHL Barrie Colts. He will hopefully bring an aggressive presence to the Islanders’ blue line when he joins the team. The team will also likely sign Victor Eklund, brother of San Jose Sharks’ forward, William Eklund, to his ELC before the NHL season closes.
The Islanders need to push to the end of the season if they have any hope of making the playoffs. It would be a shame for Schaefer’s rookie season to end in April and to send a fierce and proud Isles Nation home without a playoff game. The vibes on Long Island have been mostly positive this season. Even if the team misses the playoffs, the outlook is positive for seasons to come.
