Should New York Islanders tank the rest of the season?

The New York Islanders’ 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night set the Isles’ playoff hopes back significantly. It’s looking increasingly likely that the Islanders will not make the playoffs this season.

If that’s indeed the case, the team may want to shift its focus down the final eight games of the season. That focus includes playing out the string with momentum, but it also brings another thought to mind: Looking ahead to the 2025 NHL Draft.

As it stands, Tankathon shows the New York Islanders hold the 10th overall pick in this year’s draft. That’s not a bad pick, but it seems like a poor consolation prize after everything the team has been through this season.

So, if the Islanders’ management feels that the team will certainly not make the playoffs, and are looking forward to the draft, would tanking the rest of the way be an option?

There are really only two reasons I see for tanking the rest of the way. First, tanking the remaining games could get the Islanders closer to the sixth or seventh picks. It’s a bit of a stretch as the teams holding those picks have been pretty bad this season. But it could be doable.

Second, moving up the first round increases the Islanders’ chances of getting the first-overall pick. As it stands, the Islanders have a 3.5% chance of winning said first-overall pick. Now, if the Islanders move up to, say, number seven, those chances increase to 6.5%. Still, the chances are slim, but they’re better than 3.5%.

Is tanking really worth it for the New York Islanders?

On the whole, I’d say no. It’s not worth going through the aggravation. Tanking the rest of the way would send a truly bad message to New York Islanders fans while the chances of getting into the top five aren’t realistic.

The best thing the Isles can do at this point is salvage what they can. In my estimation, now would be a good time to call up younger players from Bridgeport and give them an opportunity to get a feel for NHL hockey. Doing so could lay the groundwork for next season.

Additionally, tanking set the team’s mindset in the wrong direction. Patrick Roy has been tough all year in preaching a more structured style of play. Tanking now would toss all that hard work to the curb.

In short, there is no reason for the Islanders to tank the rest of the way. The benefit just isn’t there. If anything, the Islanders should play out the string hoping to build momentum heading into next season when, hopefully, everyone will stay healthy the entire season.