The bubble might have just burst for the New York Islanders

The New York Islanders are riding a four-game losing skid and have lost five of their last six. What was a seeming resurgence following a seven-game winning streak, now seems more like an outlier. The Isles are now back at the bottom of the Metro Division standings, clinging to a two-point lead over the last-place Pittsburgh Penguins.

So, it is fair to say that the bubble has burst for the Islanders? Does this skid mean the Isles can kiss their playoff chances goodbye, at least for this season?

The Islanders have 25 games left this season, with a good chunk of them against top playoff teams. The Isles will next play against the Boston Bruins on Thursday night. The Bruins are stuck in a similar spot as the Isles. They blew a 3-1 lead in their last game against the Toronto Maple Leafs and look to be on a downward trend.

But then, the Islanders face the following teams twice down the stretch: New York Rangers, Washington Capitals, Tampa Bay Lightning, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Nashville Predators. Of those, the Predators are the only bottom-feeding team this season.

Then, there are games against the San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Philadelphia Flyers. They are all winnable games, though you can never tell.

Other games against the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks, and Los Angeles Kings are all tough matchups that could go either way.

What the Islanders’ remaining schedule tells us is that they’ll have to play some of their best hockey just to get into a wildcard spot. With the Islanders trailing the Columbus Blue Jackets by seven points for the final playoff spot, they’ll have to win about three-quarters of their remaining games to have a chance.

That situation includes sweeping the two remaining games against the Blue Jackets and hoping that the Detroit Red Wings, Rangers, and Ottawa Senators all stumble along the way. It’s not impossible but somewhat unlikely.