The New York Islanders are the hottest team on ice right now, on an almost unbelievable 21-6 run since Oct. 12.
Having gone from the NHL’s laughing stock at the start of the decade to one of the league’s hottest commodities comes with more than just some of the bragging rights for the Islanders. It’s happening in sync with the team’s anticipated new arena at Belmont Park for 2021.
The Isles’ newfound winning ways serve as an indication that, regardless of how this current season ends, the franchise’s future is indeed bright.
Under the leadership of head coach Barry Trotz and general manager Lou Lamoriello, the Islanders — led by Anders Lee and Mat Barzal — continue to lay some very necessary ground work to reshape the Islanders future for the better.
This is the first time that the next five years have looked brighter than the past five for the New York Islanders since before the dark days of the brief John Spano era in the late 1990s.
The benefits of the under construction Belmont arena, front office changes, and a commitment from new and energetic ownership are now aligning for the first time to give the Islanders a new hope. After all, it was Star Wars night at the Nassau Coliseum during Saturday’s win over Buffalo.
All that’s left now for the Islanders to do is to keep on winning.
The mission over the next two seasons is a simple and proven task for this group of new, young and enthusiastic Islanders.
Brooklyn and all of the subsequent mishaps since that 2015 move will soon be history and there is no need for Islanders fans to continue a retrospective look on the team’s past.
The optimism that gave the Isles its identity during the dynasty says of the 1980s is fit to return now as the start of new decade also symbolizes a new era of hockey in New York and on Long Island.
