This NY Islanders defensive pairing is becoming a cause for concern

After a season in which the NY Islanders suffered immensely in their own end, a point of emphasis heading into 2025-26 was going to be improving on their end of the ice.

For the most part, the defensive core has improved, aside from one pairing. 

After being one of the team's better pairings last season, the combination of Alexander Romanov and Tony DeAngelo has deteriorated.

DeAngelo and Romanov are trending downward

Romanov and DeAngelo were two of Patrick Roy’s most trusted defensemen last season, leading all blue liners in 5v5 ice-time, both averaging around 19 minutes per game - the top two for all Islanders defensemen. Those numbers have rapidly decreased through the early portion of this season, with Romanov playing just over 16 minutes and DeAngelo around the 15-minute mark.

Despite their lack of ice time compared to the other four defensemen, the pairing is allowing goals at the highest rate among all pairings. With a goals-for percentage of 25% according to Natural Stat Trick, Romanov and DeAngelo have been on the ice for three goals while allowing nine at even strength. Only the pairing of Matthew Schaefer and Scott Mayfield has allowed more goals, but they have played together for nearly 63 minutes more. 

DeAngelo, who signed a one-year deal to remain with the Islanders, is 30 years old, and the team can move on from him next season if he doesn’t see a vast improvement. If the Isles had a right-handed defenseman in their pipeline who was NHL-ready, DeAngelo would likely have seen some time in the press box already this season. 

The bigger issue lies with Ronanov. The 25-year-old blue liner took a massive step in his development last season, emerging as one of Roy’s top shutdown defensemen. His play earned him an eight-year extension worth $6.25M per season. Expected to be a crucial part of the defensive core going forward, this wasn’t the way Mathieu Darche was hoping the start of a massive new contract would begin.

This pairing has been one of the most concerning aspects for the Isles to start this season. The combo could soon be broken up, which could have a trickle-down effect as Mayfield-Schaefer and Pelech-Pulock have been a solid pairing through 14 games.