4 reasons why New York Islanders could be a dangerous playoff team

The New York Islanders have been a consistently competitive team in the last few seasons, making the playoffs for three straight seasons from 2018 to 2020, and reaching the Eastern Conference Finals in 2020.

After missing the playoffs in 2021 and 2022, the Islanders made a big deal to acquire Bo Horvat and have been surging since then. That could make the New York Islanders a dangerous team heading into the 2023 playoffs.

Why New York Islanders could be a dangerous playoff team

Here are four reasons:

#1 Strong Core Players

The Islanders have a strong core of players, including Mathew Barzal, Anders Lee, Brock Nelson, Ryan Pulock, and Adam Pelech, who have all been key contributors in past playoff runs.

These players have a wealth of playoff experience, and their leadership and experience will be valuable in future playoff runs. Adding Bo Horvat to that core makes the Islanders a legitimate contender.

#2 Strong Defensive Play

The New York Islanders have one of the best defensive systems in the league, allowing the fewest goals per game in the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 NHL seasons. The trend has continued since then.

That's due to their strong defensive core and commitment to playing a team-oriented defensive style. This style of play is well-suited for playoff hockey, where goals are difficult to come by, and strong defensive play is key.

#3 Up-and-Coming Prospects

The Islanders have several up-and-coming prospects who could contribute in the future, including Noah Dobson and Simon Holmstrom.

These players have shown promise in their limited NHL experience and could become key contributors in the future. Add to that the fact that Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat are under 30, so there’s room for excitement on Long Island.

#4 Solid Goaltending

The New York Islanders have one of the best goaltending tandems in the league, with Semyon Varlamov and Ilya Sorokin.

Varlamov has been a reliable veteran presence in the net, while Sorokin has shown flashes of brilliance. In the last two seasons, Sorokin has shown a propensity to be extremely hot in the net.

Having strong goaltending is critical in the playoffs, and the Islanders have the potential to steal games with their goaltending.

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Overall, the New York Islanders have a strong foundation of players, coaching staff, defensive play, up-and-coming prospects and solid goaltending, which could lead them back to the playoffs in 2023. However, there are no guarantees in the competitive landscape of the NHL.

The real thing that Islanders fans should be afraid of is Mathew Barzal's injury. Fortunately, he’s now listed week-to-week, so if the Islanders keep their production up from across the ice, they could make another deep playoff run.