NY Islanders Deserve More Recognition in NHL Power Rankings
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NY Islanders Deserve More Recognition in NHL Power Rankings
Oct 29, 2026; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; New York Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield (24) and forward Anthony Duclair (11) celebrate with goalie Ilya Sorokin (30) as the rest of the team surrounds defenseman Matthew Schaefer (48) after his overtime goal defeated the Minnesota Wild at Grand Casino Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Kenneth Teape·New York Islanders On SI
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3 min read
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The New York Islanders have had to overcome a lot of obstacles in the early going of the 2026-27 season, which has led to some up-and-down play on the ice.
Injuries are never an easy thing to handle, especially when it is to key players. The Islanders have been without star forward Mathew Barzal all season thus far. Defenseman Alexander Romanov, who recovered from a season-ending shoulder injury last year, suffered a season-ending ACL injury in the third game of the season.
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No. 2 center Calum Ritchie and winger Matias Maccelli were both injured on Oct. 17 in a 4-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. That is three top-six forwards and a key contributor to their defensive game plan all sidelined for those keeping score at home.
Despite those losses, New York is playing well. The team has bought into the system being implemented by head coach Peter DeBoer, with their defensive structure being much improved from where it was under Patrick Roy.
Where did Islanders land in NHL power rankings?
Oct 29, 2026; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; New York Islanders forward Bo Horvat (14) celebrates his goal against the Minnesota Wild in the second period at Grand Casino Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
However, even with their success, the Islanders aren't making much of a move up the NHL power rankings done bySean Gentille and Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic(subscription required), and they deserve better.
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New York moved up one spot, coming in at No. 14 this week after being No. 15 in the previous edition. With at least one point recorded in seven out of their last eight games, the Islanders move up the standings in the Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference, but that isn't exactly being reflected in the power rankings.
What has led to this recent stretch of success despite being without so many key contributors in the lineup? DefensemanMatthew Schaeferwould be at the top of the list for the historic performances he has strung together.
Against the Nashville Predators, in a 3-3 game thatthe Islanders won in a shootout, the first win for Semyon Varlamovin nearly two years, their star became the first player on record to be on the ice for an entire five-minute overtime, which also set the record for the longest shift in franchise history.
To close out the road trip against the Minnesota Wild, Schaefer had another 30-minute game, scoring two goals, including the game-winner in overtime, with an assist.No player this centuryhas reached those plateaus in a single game.
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Along with Schaefer, his partner on the No. 1 pairing, Logan Stanley,has exceeded expectations. He is one of multiple veteran players who have looked better this season, includingBrayden Schennand Ondrej Palat.
DeBoer has been constantly shuffling the lineup, somewhat out of necessity, trying to find the right combination to spark the team. Guys are playing hard and buying in, which is leading to positive results on the ice.
