New York Islanders Schedule 2026
Missing the playoffs for a second straight season came with a silver lining: rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer became the first unanimous Calder Trophy winner in 33 years. New coach Peter DeBoer inherits a roster still searching for its next captain after Anders Lee left in free agency, with Bo Horvat and goaltender Ilya Sorokin leading the way. Fans buying New York Islanders tickets get an early look at the next era on Long Island. Find Islanders tickets at Event Tickets Center.
Twelfth in the Eastern Conference told only part of the story last season, as a late collapse over the final month cost coach Patrick Roy his job with four games to go. Denis Potvin remains the gold standard among franchise legends, a four-time champion whose number hangs in the rafters on Long Island. Schaefer's rookie campaign gives the current group its most exciting young building block since John Tavares left for Toronto.
Elmont's arena opened in 2021 as the newest building in the NHL, replacing the old Nassau Coliseum as the Islanders' home. Seating runs close to 17,000, with a lower bowl built tight enough to keep the "Yes! Yes! Yes!" chant rolling after every goal. Beyond hockey, UBS Arena events fill the local calendar all year with concerts and family shows, keeping the building busy well past the final horn of the season.
This season expands to 84 games, and the home opener lands on October 3 against the New Jersey Devils, a rematch after a perfect four-game sweep of that series a year ago. The Battle of New York with the New York Rangers returns home on December 20, following a season in which the Islanders won all four meetings between the two sides. A fast start would go a long way after last year's late fade.
Four consecutive Stanley Cup finals wins from 1980 to 1983 built the Islanders' dynasty, a run that still stands as one of the most dominant stretches in NHL history. The most recent deep run came under Barry Trotz, who took the team to the semifinals in both 2020 and 2021 before losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning both times. Schaefer and Sorokin give this era a foundation that could eventually chase a fifth banner, even if the immediate outlook calls for patience.
Long Island crowds have waited a while for the next great run, but between Schaefer's ceiling and Sorokin's steady presence in net, the pieces are further along than the record suggests. New leadership on the bench and in the room gives this group a fresh identity to build around. This is a franchise with real history and a roster trending in the right direction. Get seats for the Islanders at Event Tickets Center.