The future of the NY Islanders could soon be at a crossroads

Injuries suck - there’s no other way to put it. But that’s unfortunately the reality the NY Islanders are faced with 12 games into the season. 

Without ⅔ of their top forward line in Mat Barzal and Anthony Duclair, along with top-4 defenseman, Adam Pelech, all for four weeks, the Islanders are tasked with remaining in striking distance of a wild card spot until around Christmas time.

While it’s way too early to look at standings regarding who’s in the playoffs, you can certainly put yourself out of contention, or at least make it extremely difficult to make the playoffs early on in the season. 

A decision will have to be made

Patrick Roy and his team will do everything possible to remain relevant while they wait for reinforcements, but there’s a chance that by the time they’re back to full health, it may be too little too late.

Then comes the reality of what’s next.

The Islanders have Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri both on expiring contracts. Nelson would be one of the most desired trade targets around the league, while Palmieri would also be near the top of many teams lists. 

Also, Noah Dobson Dobson's future as an Islander could be in question. The Islanders could wait until the end of the season as Dobson remains an RFA, but his trade value would be much higher if dealt at the deadline. Acquiring assets from those three players, along with taking calls on Martin, Cizikas, Pageau, Fasching, and Varlamov, could improve the timeline of a “rebuild.”

But then there’s the question of whether Lou Lamoriello is willing to sell off assets and be part of a rebuild at 82 years old. He could opt to head in a similar direction as last season when he claimed Mike Reilly off waivers and traded for Robert Bortuzzo.

The time to make a decision isn't now, but at some point, the direction this organization heads will have to be decided, and it appears if there's a time to blow up the whole thing it's this year.