Islanders eliminated, injuries, lack of scoring among culprits

The New York Islanders failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2018.

The Islanders (35-31-9) were eliminated from contention when a 4-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday clinched a playoff berth for the Washington Capitals.
New York had clinched a berth in each of the previous three seasons (2019-21) and reached the third round the past two, including a Game 7 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning last season.
Here is a look at what happened in the 2021-22 season for the Islanders and why things could be better next season.

The skinny

Potential unrestricted free agents: Zdeno Chara, D; Andy Greene, D; Sebastian Aho, D; Grant Hutton, D;
Thomas Hickey
, D
Potential restricted free agents:Kieffer Bellows, F; Noah Dobson, D
Potential 2022 Draft picks:Five

What went wrong

Injuries, COVID-19: Things began to unravel for the Islanders when defenseman Ryan Pulock sustained a lower-body injury during a 4-1 loss at Tampa Bay on Nov. 15. The initial timeline for Pulock's recovery was 4-6 weeks, but he did not play another game until Feb. 1. New York was ravaged by COVID-19 shortly after Pulock's injury; forward Josh Bailey tested positive Nov. 16, and six more players -- forwards Anders Lee, Casey Cizikas and Ross Johnston, and defensemen Adam Pelech, Zdeno Chara and Andy Greene -- were in NHL COVID-19 protocol by Nov. 27. The Islanders lost 11 in a row from Nov. 7-Dec. 5 (0-8-3) and haven't had more than a four-game winning streak (March 29-April 3) the rest of the season.
Lack of scoring: New York consistently struggled offensively nearly from the start; it was were shut out four times in the first half of the season, including three times in November. Lee (26) and center Brock Nelson (34) remain the only players who have scored at least 20 goals. Forward Kyle Palmieri, who signed a four-year contract after he was acquired in a trade with the New Jersey Devils on April 7, 2021, went 16 games without a goal from Nov. 20-Feb. 2, a drought when he also had a lower-body injury that sidelined him for one month.
Slow start in new home:The COVID-19 pandemic slowed construction of UBS Arena, forcing the Islanders to play the first 13 games of the season on the road (5-6-2). It took almost another month after their new home opened Nov. 20 to win a game there; New York lost its first seven games (0-5-2) before a 4-2 victory against New Jersey on Dec. 11. The Islanders have since recovered and are 19-8-2 at home since the season-opening skid.

Reasons for optimism

Strong finish: With nearly everyone healthy (forward Cal Clutterbuck played his last game of the season March 19 because of a shoulder injury that required surgery and defenseman Scott Mayfield sustained a lower-body injury March 22), the Islanders have looked more like the team they expected to be the past two months. They are 18-11-3 since Feb. 17.
Chance to retool:The offseason will give the Islanders an opportunity to make the "hockey trades" general manager Lou Lamoriello alluded to March 21, when no changes were made prior to the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline. The Islanders could use a mobile, left-shot defenseman following the trades of Devon Toews to the Colorado Avalanche and Nick Leddy to the Detroit Red Wings the previous two offseasons. This offseason should provide New York an opportunity to add one and help provide more offense for Ilya Sorokin, who has established himself as a No. 1 goalie in the NHL (.927 save percentage, seven shutouts in 48 games).
Dobson continues to evolve:The Islanders were hoping Noah Dobson would take another step this season. The 22-year-old has arguably been their top defenseman this season and is emerging as one of the top young players at the position in the NHL. Dobson leads New York in power-play points (17) and its defensemen in goals (11), assists (31) and points (42), and is second in ice time per game (21:19).