Former and current NY Islanders reunite at Palm Tree Music Festival in the Hamptons

One of the things that has made the New York Islanders different over the last decade isn't necessarily what happened on the ice, it's how close the team was off of it. And while the "country club" feel around the team has generated criticism from some, there's no doubt that the bond the group that has played here over the last 10+ years is different.

Whether they were drafted by the organization, acquired in trades, or signed as free agents, so many Islanders players have ended up putting down roots on Long Island. They met their wives here. They bought homes here. They raised families here. And even after some retired, some moved on to other organizations, and others continued skating at UBS Arena, the bonds they built didn't disappear.

That's part of what made the photos circulating on social media from the Palm Tree Music Festival Hamptons over the weekend so cool.

Headlined by Kygo and The Chainsmokers, the event turned into something of an Islanders reunion. There was the famed "Identity Line" trio of assistant general manager Matt Martin, MSG Networks analyst Cal Clutterbuck and current Islanders center Casey Cizikas together again. Defense partners Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock were there. So was longtime Islanders forward Josh Bailey, who remains a presence at games and on Islanders radio broadcasts.

But perhaps the most surprising face in the crowd was Oliver Wahlstrom.

For Islanders fans, seeing Wahlstrom smiling alongside former teammates probably brought back some mixed emotions. The former 11th overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft looked destined to become a major part of the organization's future before injuries, particularly a torn ACL, altered the trajectory of his career. After being placed on waivers during the 2024-25 season and claimed by the Boston Bruins, Wahlstrom managed just one goal in 16 NHL games before spending most of the season in Providence.

Last year, he attempted to restart his career by signing with the San Jose Barracuda, and by all accounts, he did exactly that, scoring 24 goals in 62 AHL games.

Will Wahlstrom ever share NHL ice with Pelech, Pulock or Cizikas again? Probably not.

But seeing former and current Islanders together on Long Island, years after many of them first arrived, was fun to see and further proof of how strong the bond is between the team off the ice.

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