How the NY Islanders have fared before and after the Thanksgiving landmark the last 5 seasons

It's been a whirlwind of emotions following the NY Islanders over the first month-plus of the season. After starting out playing poorly but racking up points - to playing better but losing consistently in overtime, the next run of games will be crucial for the Isles to get back in the thick of the standings in the Metropolitan Division.

With a 7-6-5 record and 19 points, there's serious room for improvement, but there's also the chance the Isles could be sent right back down the standings. Though it's still early, we'll look at how the Isles have fared to the Thanksgiving landmark over the last five seasons and where they ended up at season's end.

2022-23

Thanksgiving Record: 13-8-0, 26 points
Final Record: 42-31-9, 93 points

Last season, the Isles sat in second place in the division on Thanksgiving Day, trailing the NJ Devils by six points. From this point until the trade deadline, the Isles struggled to maintain pace before Bo Horvat and Pierre Engvall's acquisitions. They scratched and clawed their way into WIldcard position before being ousted by the Carolina Hurricanes in six games in the first round.

2021-22

Thanksgiving Record: 5-9-2, 12 points
Final Record: 37-35-10, 84 points

This was a season to forget for the Isles from start to finish. Starting the season on a 13-game road trip and not playing their first home game until five days before Thanksgiving, the Isles sat three places off the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings by the time the turkey was finished. The roster was ravaged by COVID around this time, digging them into a hole they couldn't escape. While able to finish the season over NHL .500, it wasn't enough for a playoff birth and ultimately cost Barry Trotz his job.

2020-21

This was the COVID shortened season and play didn't start until January.

2019-20

Thanksgiving Record: 16-5-2, 34 points
Final Record: 35-23-10, 93 points

The Isles came out smoking to start the 2019-20 season, sitting in second place in the Metro Division, riding a 17-game point streak to this point. After New Year's Day, the Isles struggled to accumulate points but relied on their early-season play, keeping their head above water before COVID-19 ended the regular season abruptly. Restarting play in the bubble in Toronto, the Isles made it to the Conference Finals before being ousted by the Tampa Bay Lightning.

2018-19

Thanksgiving Record: 10-8-2, 22 points
Final Record: 48-27-7, 103 points

In Barry Trotz's first season in charge with the Isles, the team was a bit slow out of the gate but managed to keep themselves in the thick of it come Thanksgiving, sitting four points out of playoff position. The team found its groove for the remainder of the season, finishing with 103 points and securing second place in the Metro. The Isles swept the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round but were swept themselves by the Hurricanes in round two.