New York Islanders face critical offseason after disappointing season

After missing the postseason for the eighth time in 11 seasons, the New York Islanders must look themselves in the mirror

To call the New York Islanders a bunch of underachievers would be an understatement. They have made the playoffs just three times in the past 11 seasons. Their most recent exit was set in stone after a 3-0 loss to the Florida Panthers on March 26.

This season is arguably one of their most embarrassing in franchise history. There’s no reason a team with two centers averaging over a point per game should miss the postseason. The Islanders are likely going to finish as a top 10 scoring team. Yet their defense, which has allowed the most goals in the NHL, couldn’t get out of their own way.

At some point, the status quo has to change for the Islanders. Whether the Isles intend to or not, it will change. There will be significant changes or things will continue to get worse. Let’s take a look at the important decisions the Islanders face.

John Tavares

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Without question, the Isles’ most important decision this offseason has to do with their captain John Tavares. He’s set to hit the free agent market on July 1 if the Islanders don’t sign to an extension by then.

There’s the possibility Tavares could follow in the footsteps of Steven Stamkos and re-sign right before hitting the free agent market. But the Tampa Bay Lightning captain had different circumstances surrounding his extension. Namely, his team was (and still is) a consistent Stanley Cup contender. At the time of his extension, the Lightning were coming off consecutive trips to the Eastern Conference Finals (including a Stanley Cup Finals appearance in 2014-15).

Tavares can’t say the same. The Islanders have only been in the playoffs thrice through his first nine seasons. Tavares has only made it to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs once. As much as the Islanders captain would love to stay, that has to weigh heavily on his mind.

Considering how competitive Tavares is, he likely wants to play for a team built to win. Let’s say he walks up to Islanders general manager Garth Snow and asks him to prove they are committed to winning. Could he present a strong argument? Judging by how the Islanders’ last nine seasons have gone, probably not.

Garth Snow

If the Islanders want to change their status quo, the best way to do it would be to fire the man most responsible for throwing nine years of having an elite center in the dumpster. That would be Snow. Since being hired as their general manager in 2006 (hours after retiring as a goaltender), the Islanders have made the playoffs just four times.

Snow has made some good moves. Trading Griffin Reinhart (and other picks) for the picks that eventually became Mathew Barzal and Anthony Beauvillier was brilliant. So was the Tavares extension. Nick Leddy’s deal is pretty nice, considering the rising price of defensemen.

But he also has a fairly long list of bad moves. Snow has an obsession with signing role players to long-term extensions. Cal Clutterbuck, Casey Cizikas, Adam Pelech, and Scott Mayfield are recent examples. There’s also the Andrew Ladd contract, which still has five years and $23 million of salary ($5.5 million annual cap hit) left. Oh, and that deal is basically buyout proof.

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It’s going to be a long offseason for the Islanders. It will also be a critical one for their future. The Islanders are assuming a lot of risk moving to Belmont. All of it will be for naught if the status quo of the past 13 seasons remains.

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