But while the Islanders do have two high-scoring forwards in Bo Horvat (leads team with 30 goals, 217 shots on goal) and Mathew Barzal (leads team with 70 points in 77 games), their secondary scoring and struggles in some key metrics have caused them to go from one of the biggest surprises in the NHL this season to regressing down the stretch. The Islanders are playing their first season under general manager Mathieu Darche after not renewing the contract of Lou Lamoriello last offseason.

In terms of average years of age, the Islanders have the ninth-oldest roster in the NHL (29.73; 25th out of 32 teams). But, with DeBoer expected to remain the Islanders coach beyond this season, he could incorporate the team’s top prospects, most notably forwards Cole Eiserman (20th pick in 2024 NHL Draft), Victor Eklund (16th pick in 2025 NHL Draft) and defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson (17th pick in 2025 draft).

Here are three underlying reasons the Islanders could bounce back after their coaching change:

1. Schaefer leads Islanders’ EDGE standouts

Schaefer ranked in the 90th percentile or higher in various advanced metrics as of Monday, April 6 (with percentile rankings among defensemen listed below):

• Max skating speed: 23.09 mph (95th percentile) 
• 22-plus mph speed bursts: 33 (99th percentile; leads position)
• 20-plus mph speed bursts: 264 (99th percentile; leads position)
• Total skating distance: 284.25 miles (99th percentile; second at position)
• High-danger shots on goal: 16 (97th percentile; tied for seventh at position)
• Midrange shots on goal: 75 (99th percentile; third at position)
• Long-range shots on goal: 95 (98th percentile; eighth at position)
• High-danger goals: 3 (94th percentile; tied for eighth at position)
• Midrange goals: 11 (99th percentile; fourth at position)
• Long-range goals: 8 (99th percentile; second at position)

The Islanders, despite their recent struggles, had the ninth-best penalty kill percentage (81.5) this season prior to their coaching change and also ranked among the advanced stats leaders in key categories like 22-plus mph speed bursts (129; third), average shot speed (59.44 mph; sixth) and midrange shots on goal (674; fourth).

Horvat, one of the Islanders’ two representatives at the 2026 Winter Olympics (other: Ondrej Palat), played under DeBoer when the coach was an assistant for Canada in the tournament. Horvat has been another EDGE stats juggernaut, ranking in the 93rd percentile or higher among forwards in hardest shot, average shot speed, 22 and 20-plus mph speed bursts, midrange goals and midrange shots on goal as of Monday, April 6.

Other Islanders skaters among the NHL EDGE leaders as of Monday, April 6 include Barzal (301 speed bursts of 20-plus mph; seventh in NHL), wing Anders Lee (102 high-danger shots on goal; tied for sixth) and defenseman Ryan Pulock (hardest shot of 103.01 mph; fourth).

2. Sorokin’s high-danger prowess

Among qualifying goalies (minimum 23 games played) this season, Sorokin led the NHL in both high-danger save percentage (.869) and high-danger saves (stopping 444 of 511 high-danger shots faced) as of Monday, April 6.

The tandem of Sorokin and David Rittich helped the Islanders rank among the leaders in team save percentage (.898; tied for fifth) and goals allowed per game (2.87; third fewest) prior to the coaching change. But, over the final week before the Islanders fired Roy, they allowed 42 high-danger shots on goal over their four losses (10.5 per game); the only team that allowed more over that span from March 30 to Roy’s final day as New York’s coach (April 5) were the Florida Panthers (43).

Since March 5, Sorokin has played in 15 of New York’s past 16 games prior to the coaching change, starting 14 of those games. Over that span, the Islanders are 5-1-0 when Sorokin has had a quality start (greater than .900 save percentage) compared to 1-7-0 when he does not. All of these recent metrics suggest the Islanders have leaned too heavily on Sorokin.