Is it finally time for New York Islanders to begin a youth movement?

The time has come for the New York Islanders to address an existential question: Has the time come to embrace a youth movement?

As is generally the case, there are two answers to this question, a short and a long one.

Let’s start with the short answer: Yes.

Yes, the time has come for the New York Islanders to embrace a youth movement. The team’s core, one that had been successful in previous seasons, has reached a critical point. Mathew Barzal is 27. Bo Horvat is 30. Captain Anders Lee is 34. So, is Kyle Palmieri.

All told, the Islanders are the eighth oldest team in the league with an average age of 28.96, according to Elite Prospects.

For comparison’s sake, the oldest team in the league this season is the Edmonton Oilers with an average age of 29.90. The Toronto Maple Leafs are second, slightly behind at 29.85. These two clubs make sense in being older as they are Stanley Cup contenders this season.

The Isles, however, are not. They missed the playoffs along with the Pittsburgh Penguins (fourth oldest) and the Detroit Red Wings (sixth oldest). That situation means that the Islanders will need to turn over their roster at one point or another.

There’s no other way around it. Even if the team wants to be loyal to players, there will come a time when the team will have no other choice but to embrace a youth movement in hopes of keeping the team relevant in the long term.

Otherwise, an inevitable breakdown, like the ones the Penguins are experiencing, could lead to unpredictable outcomes.

The New York Islanders seize an opportunity by embracing a youth movement now

The long answer is based on seizing a unique opportunity. The Metro Division could experience a significant shift in the next couple of seasons. This year’s division winner, the Washington Capitals, have the 14th-oldest club. Alex Ovechkin is almost 40 and won’t be around for much longer.

The Carolina Hurricanes are the 12th-oldest team and don’t appear to have a wealth of prospects in the pipeline. The New Jersey Devils, while not that much younger, do have some younger stars on the rise.

The New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Columbus Blue Jackets are teams in transition. That situation means the Islanders could use the next couple of seasons to retool as the division goes through a significant shift.

That shift means the Islanders could be able to compete in the division as the current top of the Metro gradually fades.

Embracing a youth movement now means that the Islanders, like the Philadelphia Flyers, will be on the rise while other clubs like the Capitals, Rangers, and Penguins head into full-on rebuilds like the Chicago Blackhawks.

That is why this offseason’s selection of a new coach and GM could be the biggest decision the Isles have made in roughly a decade. Those decisions must reflect the direction the team is headed.

The absolute worst thing the Islanders can do at this point is continue floating adrift in the sea of NHL competition, hoping the winds will blow them in the right direction.