The 2024-25 NHL season has not unfolded as expected for the New York Islanders. They remain the sole team in the Eastern Conference without reaching double-digit victories this season, currently trailing three points behind the last wild-card spot despite having played three additional games.
Injuries have taken a toll on the Islanders’ lineup. Defensemen Adam Pelech and Mike Reilly are on injured reserve, while forwards Mathew Barzal and Anthony Duclair are on long-term injured reserve. Stefen Rosner from The Hockey News reports that this will soon change. Barzal has begun skating again after missing his 17th game recently, as he has been sidelined with an upper-body injury sustained while blocking a shot from Columbus Blue Jackets’ Yegor Chinakhov since late October. Duclair has also been skating for several weeks and is expected to be activated from LTIR before Barzal.
Combined, these two players have missed 39 games this season, contributing to the team’s offensive struggles. The Islanders, who have typically averaged around three goals per game since the 2018-19 season, now sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with a 2.48 goals per game average.
When healthy, Barzal was not a major offensive threat this season, netting only two goals and five points in his first ten games. His absence has severely impacted teammate Bo Horvat, who has struggled to score without Barzal, registering three goals when they played together and just two in the following 17 games without him.
Duclair’s absence has similarly hindered the offense, as he usually contributes around 25 goals when healthy, scoring two in his first five games with the Islanders. Additionally, the team’s power play has plummeted to 31st in the league, with an 11.84% success rate.
With 55 games left in the season, there is potential for the Islanders to turn things around, especially with Barzal and Duclair nearing a return. However, it will be challenging for New York to qualify for the playoffs for the sixth time in seven seasons if their offense continues to underperform.
