New York Islanders face a season-defining crossroads after a lackluster showing against the Washington Capitals raises urgent questions about leadership, effort, and the spark missing from their roster. Can Anders Lee ignite the fire and intensity needed for a playoff push, or will offensive slumps from Bo Horvat and Jonathan Drouin doom their postseason hopes?
Gil Martin breaks down the Islanders’ pressing issues—fading chemistry, lack of physicality from the blue line, and missed opportunities against an AHL-caliber Capitals goalie. Key analysis covers Mathew Barzal’s lone goal, Scott Mayfield’s grit, and looming lineup changes before tonight’s critical clash with the surging Pittsburgh Penguins. With the Olympic break and trade deadline on the horizon, discover whether Matthew Darche’s faith in veteran pickups Ondrej Palat and Carson Soucy can steady the Islanders’ ship. Will the Islanders seize their moment, or will this be the turning point toward another disappointing season?
All this and more on today’s Locked On Islanders Podcast with Gil Martin.
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33 Comments
Isles didn't deserve to win but it was clear the NHL & officials WANTED Washington to win. I think it demonstrates to Darche to sell who we know he should & add young talent & picks. Can still try for playoffs while doing what you must.
There's no urgency, no intensity, no hitting, no scoring. Its not a playoff team. If Horvat isn't healthy than its selfish as he'll for him to go to Olympics
Its sooooo hard being a fan of this team
Heard where Hunter Drew had a hat trick at Bridgeport. It might have been fun to call him up earlier in the season. Run him out on a forward line occasionally. Does having someone like that in the lineup makes the rest of the team play bigger. And it's clear he can play a bit
Since Horvat has returned from his injury, he hasn't done a thing. I wonder if he's still hurt
same old shit. offense in snooze mode and too many passengers out there. 4 g's in 3 games. isles can't expect 14 to do all the scoring. 27 just doesn't care anymore and needs to be shipped out. 29 returns to do nothing. just no fire in this team. no consistent scoring. at least pens lost so a 4 pt. game is next. a brisk post-olympic fall may be beneficial going forward,
Just a sorry,lifeless effort put forth by the team. passes weren't clicking, and the defense was poor. There's no point in making the playoffs if they continue to play like ass.
It never ceases to amaze me how so many Islanders fans have gotten caught up in this seasons playoff mania…even those who have been around long enough to know better! Last night the Islanders were soundly beaten by a better team…and tomorrow night it will happen again. Earlier this season when a lot of teams were struggling to find their games, the Islanders were able to take advantage for the most part due to their goaltending, now a lot more teams are hitting their stride and finding another gear because the finish is starting to come into view. The problem for the Islanders is simple enough to understand…they don't have another gear and just like the Flyers, the Islanders are backing down the standings while Washington and Columbus have shifted into forward and are pressing the pedal down. There are too many teams in the Atlantic playing good hockey so for the Metro teams it's top three or an early vacation. Even if the Islanders get passed it was still a successful season for this team, considering the roster, they exceeded expectations. The biggest concern now for Islander fans should be the performance of their rookie GM and what he is going to do in the next few weeks. Mathieu Darche to this point has earned himself a C minus grade, Drouin was a bust, Romanov got too much term, and the Devils short changed him on Palat. I for one, will be more interested in hopefully watching the rookie redeem himself with a few solid deals than be concerned with where this team ultimately finishes. Matthew Schaefer was a helluva lot of fun to watch this season…and that was all I hoped to get when the season started.😊
We need to take a breath here. This season wasn't supposed to play out like this. Being in this position we're in is realistically a bonus and a bit of a problem at the same time. The problem is we were hoping to have a top 10 pick this coming draft with a good amount of cap space and Darche having a plan to use that cap and selections wisely. That all depended on finishing well out of the playoffs making our picks high commodities. A Good GM with a solid core, deep prospect pool, a good amount of cap space, and good drafting positioning SHOULD be able to put together a, dare I say cup contender. I can't remember ever seeing (in 3+ decades) the NYI in a position like this. If Darche is any good, he'll see what we're all seeing and take care of business. Lee, JGP, Zeek, Drouin, Soucy, MacClean, Even Duclare, all gone during the off-season, preferably during the deadline. Throw Mayfield in as well. We need a drastic overhaul like that for this to work. With the Rags and Devils sucking up last place, we have a golden once in my lifetime opportunity to rule the Tri state area and 🙏🙏🙏 please God, a 5 banner. So let's not lose focus on the goal for the future because of an unexpectedly good season (so far).
Trade lee,cizikas and pageau assp for offense
Did they give up on Roy? I think so…It is impossible to play this bad…last night I watched Boston vs Northeastern.. kids play beautiful hockey.. when I switch back to Islanders game they put me to sleep,can't believe how bad they are…. don't even think about points tonight 😢 LGI…..
Sell sell sell
3 hits by the defense is embarrassing!
The Islanders are a team full of third and fourth line players. Barzal and Horvat are the only top line players.
Speed Dating lol 😂 love ❤️ it! No speed dating damit! Roy is so frustrating! How can you get consistency when you are constantly shifting players around! Is the NHL scripted like other sports seem to be? How do you play so well then play so poorly? Can’t win when you don’t score goals! I want Aitcheson next year he will hit! If you can get Prokhorov and his size in the lineup do it! Lee does not lead on the ice anymore. It all started with Lee and pond hockey! Lee has to be traded and obviously not resigned. Whether Lee knows it or not his playing career is over. Tied of being a broken record which team will it be tonight? Will it be Jekyll or Hyde? Whatever happens this year fans can’t change it. Darche needs Hungry 🤤 players not GQ posers!
What does Drouin, Lee, Shabanov, Palat, Duclair ,Soucy ,DeAngelo, Holmstrom, JG, Gatcomb, Casey, Mayfield, Maclean, Boquist have in common, they all stink big time. You fans have the nerve to talk playoffs regarding this team, these players should not be in the NHL, these guys are a JOKE. They all should not even be here in February, all should have been gone last June before the draft. What a wasted year…
What happened Icelanders….you guys got too full of yourselves after beating the worst Rangers team in over 10 years??
Goal scoring has been a problem for this team for how long without being addressed? Watch them use their #1 picks to add more defensemen. 🫣
Terrible effort all around. We better see a bigger effort tonight. LGI
I can’t figure this team out one night they are so good then other nights they look so terrible they’re so inconsistent smh
2025-26 NYI : Two words : FOOLS GOLD
Continue with the rebuild……
Pretty sure everyone realizes Lee's days of doing anything are over. Many times last night he was in front of the net when point shots came in. Never got a stick on them or even effectively screened. Has become a total liability everywhere on the ice. Too bad because the team needs him to be his former self but that's just not going to happen. Rittich was a nice story at first but those first 2 should of been stopped.
Im not in panic mode. I still stand that they will make the playoffs. But this team is on fumes and the break couodnt come at a better time. They are not physical and will be the reason they get knocked out in playoffs early. Darche will address the weaknesses in the iff season
The Islanders haven’t been a hitting Team in 2 years. It’s amazing how they allow unchecked opponents to walk right in. Teams know this about them. Ever since the 4th line dissolved there’s been little to no hitting. They continuously allow teams to set up and eventually score.
Gil. That one goal came after a Barzal turnover … I asked the question has Roy lost this team? Does Darche have a plan? After the hot start this team looks like a wild card spot looks like a stretch AND a first round exit a certainty
Roy was Lamoirellos choice. I have a feeling Darche wants to choose his own head coach.
to me it looks like this team is running on fumes. When the break hits the isles will have played 6 games in 9 days. No team in the nhl has this many games in as short a time span. This shows up on the ice as the isles have had strong first periods followed by what looks like a lack of effort for the rest of the game when they have really lost their legs. I think we will see a much better team after the break but it will be tough to watch these last 2 games as they crawl to the break.
I’m starting to think Cal Ritchie is more valuable as a goal scorer or even a threat to score while on the ice than we think
For those complaining about Mayfield's 2 minute roughing penalty, do you realize that's the refs doing the Islanders a favor? Mayfield clearly instigated the fight which is a ten minute penalty. Would you rather he sit for 15 minutes instead of 7? Perhaps with the way he's playing, that would be better for the Islanders…
the islanders lack offense we have not had a100 point scorer since pierre turgeon did it in 1993..
I cant stand watching pelech and pulock standing in front of our goalie waiting to collect the puck after it falls instead of pushing people out of the crease! It is so obvious it hurts!! I wonder how much the line changes are hurting us, guys have no time to build a system if they are playing w new guys every single game!!! With No consistency on the lines their cant be consistency in our games
islanders poor offense made this 3rd string goalie for washington look like a 1st stringer. and is horvat gonna go to the olympics, and risk further injury, or is he gonna stay home and rest his injury for the good of the employer who is paying him? lee is 35, will be 36 in july. he should retire after this season and go out with dignity. he can get a job with the islanders do something else (isles are good at hiring former players to do anything). if they lose to pittsburgh and devils before olympic break, then they should be dusting off their golf clubs.
The Islander players as a rule should all have to watch your podcast after a loss, Gil !!