Young fan asks the NY Islanders if they will make the playoffs during Q&A session

The New York Islanders hosted an event for season ticket holders at UBS Arena on Tuesday night and on the agenda was a "Player Forum" where members would have the chance to "hear directly from the Islanders players as they field questions from the audience" according to the e-mail.

Given the team's recent plight, the organization wisely decided to keep the Q&A but leave the questions to kids only. However, that didn't stop one young fan from getting up and asking the tough question, 'Boys, do we think you're going to make the playoffs?' he asked to laughter and applause.

Savvy veteran MSG Networks reporter Shannon Hogan quickly intervened and jumped in, answering the question for the players, saying it was it is always the goal and the team is doing everything they can to make that happen with a big trip to Florida coming up later this week.

Other highlights throughout the Q&A included different groups of players sitting on a pop-up stage on the UBS Arena ice as the mic was handed around from kid to kid. We saw defenseman Alexander Romanov do his best Mathew Barzal goal celebration, and Ilya Sorokin mimicked the celly of his best friend as well. There was also Brock Nelson, a perennial 30-goal scorer and father to a daughter, who was asked if he was a fan of music icon Taylor Swift.

"I listen to so much Taylor Swift with my daughter, it's crazy," says Nelson. "If do deejay requests in the car, it's only Taylor Swift." Nelson went on to add that "Cruel Summer" is his favorite song, drawing applause from the young girls in attendance. It will be exactly that and a long summer as well for the Islanders if they aren't able to defy the odds and make the post-season.

From accounts, the players stuck around after the panel to take pictures with fans and sign autographs. On top of that, all fans 18 years old and under headed home with a game-used hockey stick. It was the type of night that had a September feel with new-season optimism, but the reality is the Isles are in danger of playing out a stretch of meaningless games in April if they don't start turning things around quickly. Even then, it may not be enough. If nothing else, at least the kids will remember this night more fondly than they will the 2023-24 season.