Islanders begin 26/27 season looking to get back to playoffs under DeBoer

The New York Islanders opened their 2026-27 NHL season under head coach Pete DeBoer with a 2-1 defeat against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Colton Sissons and Easton Cowan scored first-period goals for Toronto, while Emil Heineman scored the lone goal for the Islanders on a late penalty kill. Goaltender Ilya Sorokin rebounded from an early Cowan rebound goal to hold Toronto scoreless for the remainder of the contest.

The writer argues that the aging Islanders roster struggled with breakout speed and offensive zone entries in the opener. With star forward Mathew Barzal sidelined by an injury of unknown duration, the article suggests that general manager Mathieu Darche and DeBoer face pressing lineup decisions, including whether to integrate younger prospects like Cole Eiserman and Kashawn Aitcheson into the lineup.