New York Islanders: Three reasons why the Isles can make the playoffs this year
The New York Islanders will be coming off one of their best offseason’s ever when their season starts on October 4. With all the changes being positive ones, just how far can they go? Playoffs?
The New York Islanders will enter the season with a new coach, new GM, another home arena, and for once, hope.
The Isles, by almost every standard, got better this offseason. They not only bettered their system in the Draft, they also made enough moves that makes it feel as if they will be better in the present too.
We know the Isles lost their former captain, who shall not be named, due to free agency. That is normally a franchise altering loss, but for the Isles, it opens more doors than it closes.
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Mathew Barzal won the Calder Trophy in the offseason.
The Isles went out and got themselves Lou Lamoriello before that.
Then, after the Capitals won the Stanley Cup the Isles went out and got their coach.
The Isles also brought back Matt Martin to bring some fight back to their team and made some other signings to guys who need prove they belong.
On the surface, the Isles got everything right. They fired Garth Snow and got rid of most of the baggage he came with as well.
They drafted well again thanks to Lou.
For Isles fans, it must feel nice to know that losing a certain former captain is not the only big story this offseason, there are also beneficial things that happened to them.
So, really, all the Isles have left to do is play the games and begin to see where they are at as a franchise.
The Isles ended up far off from the playoffs last year, however, here are three reasons why that will not be the case again this season.