Yesterday, we kicked off our look ahead to the New York Islanders’ 2026-27 season with 15 questions surrounding Pete DeBoer’s team, from whether they can find the consistency needed to make the playoffs to Matthew Schaefer’s encore and plenty more.
15 Questions Facing The Islanders Ahead Of The 2026-27 Season
The New York Islanders’ 2026-27 season officially gets underway on Sept. 30, and with the season opener now less than a month away, hockey is right around the corner.
But 15 questions weren’t enough.
With rookie camp and training camp right around the corner and plenty of roster battles and storylines still to dive into, we’re back with another 15 questions facing the Islanders ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Before we get to today’s 15 questions, check out some of our recent stories:
Ok, now let’s get into it.
Will Adam Pelech be able to mimic his 2025-26 season?
Pelech got himself back in the “elite shutdown defenseman” conversation last season after a few years away. A large part of that was him being healthy for the whole season. And that was huge in the team not having to put as much defensive pressure on Schaefer. The question is, can Pelech do it again? It’s hard to think Pelech being that good was an accident — it wasn’t — but the question will also be who his linemate is, as Tony DeAngelo deserves credit for being stable alongside No. 3.
How quickly can Kyle Palmieri get back to being himself after tearing his ACL?
The Islanders were never able to fill Palmieri’s role when he went down last season, and coming back, he’s going to be relied upon in all facets, from scoring goals to playing his underrated defense at 5-on-5 and on the penalty kill. But we can’t pretend that an ACL injury to a 35-year-old isn’t a concern. He can be cleared to play, but it’s more about the mental hurdle of trusting your body, your leg, to do the things you want to do. It took Lee a few years to look like himself after his ACL injury. Oliver Wahlstrom’s career was derailed because of it.