Islanders’ Season Concludes with Increased Player Focus

The final game of the 2025-26 season is shaping up to mark the beginning of the 2026-27 preseason.

Following a 4-1 defeat to the Canadiens that knocked the Islanders out of playoff contention, head coach Pete DeBoer expressed his intention to utilize the upcoming finale against Carolina to give as many players as possible a chance to play.

This might hint at the potential debut of Victor Eklund, who just helped AHL Bridgeport secure a playoff spot. However, it’s not certain if he’ll be called up to the NHL.

There’s also anticipation around Isaiah George, who is expected to play and may receive a call-up.

“I need to discuss some things with Mathieu about rosters,” DeBoer noted. “For me, it’s valuable to see more of the players who might be involved in future games.”

DeBoer, who just joined the team last week, is still getting accustomed to his new role in a challenging situation.

“It’s unfortunate, really,” he remarked. “They were in a solid position about a month ago, but a lot has happened since then. I can only speak from my experience over the past week.”

“They’ve had a lot thrown their way—one coach left, and a new one came in. It’s been a lot to handle. Yet, I commend them for not giving up. They played hard until the very end of the game. There’s clearly substantial work ahead, but there’s positive potential as well.”

Ondrej Palat is back from injury, and Anthony Duclair is starting for only the second time in the last eleven games.

Ilya Sorokin has been the go-to goalie, starting nine games in a row and fourteen total since nearly a month ago.

In another update, DeBoer confirmed that Alexander Romanov, recovering from shoulder surgery, won’t be making a return this season. After being injured in mid-November, hopes for his comeback during the playoffs have dwindled, and it seems more likely he’ll only return at training camp.