The New York Islanders have one major issue. The goal scoring of this roster is not anywhere near where it should be. Last season was a disaster when it came to putting the puck in the net. Only four teams endured a worse goals-per-game ratio than the Islanders in 2024-25. It was the ultimate struggle for the organization. If they are going to return to the playoffs this season, the Islanders must start scoring more. These offensive struggles are not new, and many have recommended solutions for a while. However, they have become more pressing with the Islanders failing to make the playoffs.
There were a few reasons the Islanders’ offense was so flat last season. Some were beyond the organization’s control, while others were self-inflicted. Changes have swept across the organization, leading to a simple question: Can they score now? It’s something that this franchise must answer over 82 games, and if the answer isn’t a resounding yes, it could be another season in the doldrums for the Isles.
Injuries
One of the most significant factors is the injuries. Mathew Barzal, the most talented player this Islanders team possesses, played in just 30 games. That’s one way to clip a team’s production. When the Islanders couldn’t rely on their star, they had to find scoring elsewhere, and they struggled to find it. Noah Dobson also missed 10 games, and that’s a problem the Islanders have to find a solution to now that he’s a Montreal Canadien.
Related: Are the New York Islanders Built for Playoff Hockey?
Then there are depth players like Anthony Duclair, who missed half the season for various reasons. If the players the Islanders pay to put the puck in the net cannot stay on the ice, this team is going to struggle. Ultimately, this is a case of availability is the best ability. If Barzal misses another 50 games this season, it’ll be another long season on Long Island. The Islanders need their players to spend as much time on the ice as possible. If the injury bug bites again, it may be another season outside the playoff picture.
Defensive Concerns
It might seem backwards, but another issue is the Islanders’ defensive side of the game. New York spent 41.4% of its even-strength ice time in its own zone, according to NHL Edge. They spent 41.3% of their even-strength time in the offensive zone. That’s not good enough. One of the things the Islanders must improve upon is their inability to clear the defensive zone. Scoring goals is much more challenging from your own zone, so unless you’re shooting on Vesa Toskala, it’s likely not a good idea.
It means the Islanders’ defense must be better at shifting the puck up the ice. With significant changes on the back-end made in the summer, there will be growing pains through the preseason and possibly leaking into the regular season as the defensive personnel learn how to play with the new additions. There will be growing pains with the young talent replacing them, but if the issues remain from last season, it’ll again doom the Islanders’ campaign.
Poor Luck?
As a team, the Islanders shot at 9.2% in 2024-25. The season average was 10.6%. New York wasn’t just behind; they were one of the worst teams in the league. Only the Nashville Predators’ 8.8% and the Calgary Flames’ 9.1% were worse than the shooting percentage the Islanders posted. That is despite the Islanders having the sixth-highest shot total of any team in the NHL. Only the Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Vegas Golden Knights, and Colorado Avalanche had more shots. They were all playoff teams, and three of them were conference finalists.
The Islanders need to stop wasting the quality chances they get. As a team, they had an all-situations expected goals for per 60 minutes played (xGF/60) of 3.05 according to Natural Stat Trick. That essentially means that if the Islanders played for 60 minutes, you’d expect them to score a little more than three goals on average. The goals for per 60 (GF/60) in all situations for the Islanders last season was a mere 2.68. That’s a chasm. If they underperform like that, they’ll miss out again.
New Season Improvements
New York has taken significant steps to address this issue. More depth was added, new pieces joined the organization from the draft, and the Islanders changed their general manager. It’s clear they are looking for a change on the ice, and they’re hoping that the changes in the offseason will lead to different fortunes. It was a profoundly disappointing season for the Isles, and changes were needed.
Islanders head coach Patrick Roy will have a difficult task to ensure this roster returns to the playoffs. With the changes that have occurred around the organization, his future may not be inevitable if this team has a slow start to the season. Perhaps there are bigger questions if they are slow out of the gate again, like if general manager Mathieu Darche ponders the possibility of that forbidden “R” word. The Islanders are at a crossroads, and how they respond offensively this season may change everything for this organization.
