New York Islanders Roundtable: Worst Team in the NHL Edition

After two losses to the two worst team in the NHL, are the New York Islanders the worst team in the league now?

The New York Islanders certainly aren’t far off the mark of being the worst team in the league. Before last night’s game against the Florida Panthers, the Islanders were ranked 28th out of 30th teams.

But can we say that those two losses show us anything that could lead us to believe that the Islanders are the worst team in the NHL?

In those two losses to the Avalanche and the Coyotes, the Islanders scored two goals in six periods of hockey. They were outlasted by the Avalanche, probably because of the altitude. And were out…bettered? Really, though. The Coyotes were just better, there’s no better word than better.

And what about the loss to the Panthers? They weren’t that much better than the Isles were on that night. After scoring that second goal, the Panthers sat back and just waited out the Islanders, for almost an entire 40 minutes.

So what is it? Is this team as bad as they’re showing? Or is there somethings else that’s missing here? Was it because of the bye-week and then that weird little three-day break immediately

Was it because of the bye-week and then that weird little three-day break immediately afterward? Too much time off broke their momentum? Remember that just before the break the Isles were on a 4-1-0 tear, and scoring 4.6 goals per game on average.

For a drastic 180 like that, this team has to be that bad.

Jan 6, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) reacts after scoring the winning goal past New York Islanders goalie Jean-Francois Berube (30) in overtime at the Pepsi Center. The Avalanche defeated the Islanders 2-1 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Farrell Hirsch

No. If you say they are the worst team because they were beaten by Colorado and Arizona. Then they were cup champs when they beat Pittsburgh. It doesn’t work that way.

The Islanders have some valuable assets that have present value. Aside from Tavares, they have a decent, and deep group of defensemen. And there are a few flawed forwards who are accomplishing NHL level play this season in Bailey, Nelson, Lee, Cizikas.

(Since the question is asked in the present tense I won’t include players who have previously played well enough to have NHL value like Ladd, Kulemin, or Strome. And I won’t include those with future value like Beauvillier, Barzal and, well, Strome)

The Coyotes roster has much less present value. And they display that nightly.

They had as many shots on goal in the shootout against the Isles, as they did in the third period of that close game. The Avalanche have a potentially terrific core, no depth at all. That should be more than enough to play their way out of league cellar. But it isn’t. They’re awful.

And you know what else? That Devils team is horrendous on any night where goaltending isn’t spectacular. Yippee!!! My homerism gets the Isles to 4th worst.

Dec 23, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; New York Islanders head coach Jack Capuano looks on coaches against the Buffalo Sabres during the second period at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Eric Vogel

Are the Islanders the worst team in the league?

No. They’re ONE of the worst teams in the league. Unfortunately, I think all but a few extremely deluded fans realize this isn’t a result of the personnel necessarily, but rather a product of the organization.

A coach who has shown no ability to adapt on the fly or prepare a meta-game plan… which are basically the ONLY ways a coach can affect a game. And a General Manager who has allowed that kind of ineptitude to linger well beyond its expiration date.

I’ve asked this question a thousand times and there is no answer available – how, on a team that is almost nothing BUT young talent, do you stick with a coach who CLEARLY either doesn’t like or outright doesn’t understand how to use/develop young players?

I’m hoping episode three of BBC’s Sherlock will address this seemingly unassailable mystery.

Michel Anderson

The Islanders aren’t the worst team in the league right now. No. Colorado still holds that distinction gladly. Losing to the Avalanche just did one thing. Keep the Islanders from breaking out of the basement this season.

The follow-up loss to the Arizona Coyotes put the season in the metaphorical coffin. The loss three days later to the Panthers sealed it.

We know that generally after Christmas where a team is in the standings is where a team will be come the end of the season. Small fluctuations are possible, like moving up or down a spot, but to go from the basement to a wild-card or a playoff spot? Almost impossible.

Unless you’re the 2014-15 Ottawa Senators.

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It was a series of defeats that progressively worse and worse. Not because the Islanders were routinely outplayed, but because of just how helpless the Islanders were in the whole situation.

They just couldn’t do anything to get out of their own tire-fire way.

For all that though, the Islanders still aren’t the worst, not yet. For that to happen the Islanders need a slew of games they won’t likely win. Like road games for example.

In their next 43 games left to play in the 2016-17 season, the Islanders play 25 on the road or just under 60% of their games.

Of the 30 NHL teams the New York Islanders possess the second worst win ratio on the road at .24, league average road win% is 42. They also have the tied least number of road games played at 16. At that pace the Islanders stand to drop 28 points from a possible 50 on the road.

Give the Isles time, because at this rate, they will be the worst team in the league.