With the NHL All-Star break approaching, there’s still much to be decided in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
The New York Islanders currently find themselves outside the playoffs but remain in the picture.
This team got off to a solid start but has since tailed off. There are questions about whether they can regain their early success, but it’s warranted to look into their case to make the postseason.
With that, we’ll dive into the New York Islanders’ current odds to qualify for the playoffs on the FanDuel Sportsbook.
Isles Have Pieces, But are They Enough?New York Islanders to Qualify for the Postseason (Yes +270, No -380)
It’s not that the New York Islanders don’t have a talented roster; other Eastern Conference teams are just better positioned to make the playoffs. If we’re looking at what hampers the Islanders’ chances, it starts and ends with a lack of offensive firepower. This team has always been built around their defense and goaltending. The irony is that they’ve found a lot of success in the postseason because of that, but they have to be able to get there first. The Isles currently sit 25th in the NHL in goals scored per game and eighth in goals allowed. Even with great goaltending and solid defensive play, the team hasn’t been able to score enough to generate results, leading to losses in games where they should be coming out on top.
If the Isles have hopes of going on a run in the second half, they’ll need support from management. Offensive pieces are required up front, especially when the team has the defense and goaltending to compete for a Stanley Cup.
The Isles sit two points out of a playoff position but have played three more games than the Pittsburgh Penguins, who they’re chasing. That could be a tough hole to climb out of, but they have a veteran-led roster that could go on a winning streak. They’ve started to get healthier on the backend, and there’s no question they boast one of the stronger goalie tandems in the NHL. New York could be wasting a real opportunity to qualify for the playoffs if they don’t improve their club. There’s a reason they’re listed as longshots to qualify, but we’re banking on this team putting things together and going on a run. As a result, there’s likely some value in the Islanders making the playoffs at +270, but we don’t suggest anything more than some light sprinkling on those odds.
Buy or Sell: Lightly buy into Isles +270 odds
