Could NY Islanders blow things up in 2025-26?

The NY Islanders head into the 2025-26 season with a renewed sense of hope. After a sour 2024-25 season, the Isles have seemingly turned over a new leaf. GM Mathieu Darche looks like the real deal. The once-barren prospect pipeline is now flush with high-end prospects.

That pipeline begins with Matthew Schaefer. Whether Schaefer plays this season or not will have no bearing on his future. Schaefer has been earmarked as the club’s D-man of the future.

But there’s a bit of a dark cloud looming over the horizon in Long Island.

The expectation is for the Isles to get back into playoff contention. While that is no easy task in a solid Metro Division, the Islanders have a solid lineup that could make significant headway.

But what if things go south? What if injuries or inconsistency wreak havoc? What if there’s a disaster that derails the NY Islanders’ season much the way it did last year?

If such a nightmare scenario unfolded, would it prompt Islanders’ management to pull out the plunger and blow everything up?

Unfortunately, that’s a real possibility. At the end of last season, much of the chatter surrounding the Isles was an inevitable rebuild. Adding Schaefer quelled talk of a rebuild. Instead, Schaefer brings a potential turnaround that could guarantee success for years to come.

But then again, wouldn’t Schaefer be precisely the reason for blowing things up?

Yes, there’s a very real sense that another poor season could lead to a rebuild. The Islanders have the pieces to pull it off in short order. But then again, we may be overreacting a bit here.

What would a NY Islanders rebuild look like at this point?

Before adding Schaefer, Calum Ritchie, Daniil Prokhorov, and others, a rebuild in Long Island would have involved selling off veteran contracts and accruing as many draft picks and prospects as possible.

Those prospects have essentially arrived. The Isles could easily ice a youthful lineup by inserting other players like Isaiah George, Matt Maggio, and Alex Jefferies. Cole Eiserman could get a long look, while Calle Odelius and Jesse Pulkkinen could get extended trials.

The list of names sounds encouraging. The pipeline is flush, leading management to entertain the possibility of dumping high-priced contracts.

Yes, there are some anchors there. Scott Mayfield and Pierre Engvall will generate plenty of scrutiny. 

But beyond those two contracts, the Islanders could move on from impending UFAs like JG Pageau, Tony DeAngelo, and even captain Anders Lee. 

Russian imports Maxim Shabanov and Maxim Tsyplakov could add even more youthful depth to the Islanders roster.

So, it’s plausible that the Islanders, despite potentially being in a playoff spot this upcoming season, could sell off veteran contracts. If the club feels that someone like Calum Ritchie is ready to take over, that could motivate the team to move Pageau to a desperate contender. Similarly, a winger like Anthony Duclair could be moved in order to free up a roster spot.

At the end of the day, the Islanders sudden prospect wealth provides the club with flexibility. Fans shouldn’t be surprised if a retool-rebuild happens on the fly. The Islanders could become the model for other franchises to rebuild without going through a lost decade.