Islanders: Three theories on what will happen when hockey comes back

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 28: A general view of the arena prior to the game between the New York Islanders and the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Barclays Center on April 28, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

What will the NHL do if the 2019-20 season is allowed to resume? And what does that mean for the New York Islanders?

As we wait for word from health officials and governments that it’s OK to congregate in large crowds, the 2019-20 NHL season has been put on hold. When the 2019-20 season returns (and hopefully it does) , what will that mean for the New York Islanders?

Before the season was suspended, the Islanders were no longer in a playoff position. The final wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference is held by the Columbus Blue Jackets who are a single point ahead of the Islanders.

For the first time in a long time, the Isles are on the outside looking in. That 17 game point streak from earlier in the season has been completely eroded.

But the season wasn’t suspended with a clean break. While the Islanders have played 68 games this season, others have played 69 games, 70 games, or even 71 games. Those aforementioned Columbus Blue Jackets have played 70 games.

Would be it right for the Islanders to miss out on the playoffs even though they haven’t played the same number of games? No. Of course not.

Although I’m sure Columbus Blue Jackets fans would see things quite differently. It not their fault that their schedule was packed tighter than the Islanders or that they took more points than the Isles.

So, while we wait for the season to return, here are a few different ideas on what the league might do to either finish the regular season or seed the playoffs immediately upon their return to action.

CARDIFF, UNITED KINGDOM – JANUARY 08: A primary school child writes in a school book while studying maths in a classroom on January 8, 2020 in Cardiff, United Kingdom. (Photo by Matthew Horwood/Getty Images) /

Points Percentage

This is an idea I (and many others) thought of almost immediately after the season was suspended by the NHL. Points-percentage, or points-per-game.

The idea is to base playoff seeding by the percentage of points accumulated over the number of points available. This way will take into consideration teams who, like the Columbus Blue Jackets, have more points but have played more games.

The point of the regular season is to amass the most amount of points over 82 games. But because the season was put on hold when the number of games played was imbalanced, the percentage of points earned over what was possible balances things out.

This system would also allow the Islanders to leapfrog over the Blue Jackets for the final wildcard position in the Eastern Conference.

This isn’t the way any Islanders fan would have wanted to get into the playoffs. In this scenario, the Islanders are lucky to make the post-season after a seven-game slide deservedly takes them out of contention.

In this scenario, the 17 game point streak likely saved their season. During that stretch, the Islanders held a 0.912 points percentage. Since that streak, the Islanders have picked up 46 points from a possible 94 points for a 0.489 points percentage.

For the Columbus Blue Jackets, it would mean missing the playoffs for the first time since 2015-16. I don’t imagine Trots is happy about this.

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – DECEMBER 18: Head coach Barry Trotz of the New York Islanders watches from the bench during the third period of the NHL game against the Arizona Coyotes at Gila River Arena on December 18, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. The Islanders defeated the Coyotes 3-1. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Shorter Season

Assuming the NHL is only gone for a few weeks, they still have time to even out the schedule and avoid this hole points-percentage scenario when they come back.

According to Greg Wyshynski, the NHL could play a shorter season when they come back. That would certainly allow teams to ‘earn’ the right to get into the playoffs and not luck their way in like they would do in a points percentage scenario.

Source on NHL players’ side thinks “best case” would be a 2-3 week suspension, a short continuation of a sub-82-game reg. season and then a truncated playoffs with shorter opening series. But playing into July is an option. Again, one person's informed speculation.
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) March 12, 2020

This scenario would, aside from keeping things fair for playoff seeding, would also keep the NHL to a regular time table. With a shorter season and with a truncated playoff structure where the first round is shorter, the season could still be done in June, as usual.

As an Islanders fan, I like the points percentage scenario better. Simply for the fact that it leaves no room for error. The Islanders can’t possibly screw it up.

But as a hockey fan, this scenario is fair. It gives teams some time to earn their way in. In this scenario who makes it and who doesn’t is up to the performance on the ice and not by some sort of algorithm. In this scenario, there can be no complaints about who gets in and who doesn’t.

The question for this scenario is what games do they and don’t they play? Do they simply keep the same schedule and only play, say, 75 games? Or will it be 75 games and all inter-conference play?

WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 10: Anthony Beauvillier #18 of the New York Islanders celebrates his first goal during the first period against the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on February 10, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

Full 82 Game Season

Ideally, the best solution would be to just start the season over where we left off. Play the remaining 11-14 games all 31 teams had left to play and see how things shake out.

The only issue with this scenario is how long the season might last. If we just push the season back two or three weeks we could very well be playing hockey until July.

But like Wyshynski’s source indicated, playing hockey until July is an option for the league. And when you consider that approximately 75 percent of the NHL’s revenue comes from ticket sales, playing all 82 games makes perfect sense.

NHL/NHLPA signed off on memo around 5 p.m. ET, guidelines:
1) Players for now asked to self-quarantine in their home NHL cities;
2) At some point TBD, players may skate at NHL facility in small groups;
3) Near the end, plans for mini camp before (if) season resumes.
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) March 13, 2020

The season could start with a mini-camp as Pierre LeBrun points out, followed by the return of the regular season which would then be followed by four full rounds of seven-game series.

Now that is the best-case scenario. All 82 games and hockey till July? Sign me up!

I get that doesn’t sound great for everyone. My wife isn’t too pleased that hockey could be still going strong into July when we usually take off for a family camping trip.

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In this scenario, the Islanders would immediately start the season on a three-game road trip. The first two games would be out West with dates against the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers before coming back East to play the Penguins. Assuming they keep the same schedule that is.

The two to three-week break could also help the Islanders get back to full health. Casey Cizikas was already said to be close to a return and Johnny Boychuk was already at practice. Another two weeks would likely see both return to the full lineup.

Having both Cizikas and Boychuk would be a huge boost for the Islanders to try and claw their way back into the playoffs.

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