Lamoriello Backs Isles at Halfway Point

While the New York Islanders do not have a playoff position at the halfway point of their season, President of Hockey Ops and General Manager Lou Lamoriello feels a playoff berth is within the team’s grasp.

The Isles (37 points) are five points back of the Columbus Blue Jackets (42 points) for the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference with a game in hand.

“It's not something that's out of reach,” Lamoriello said during an availability in Las Vegas on Thursday morning.

It’s a bit of a logjam between the Isles and the cutoff line, with Pittsburgh (42 points), Ottawa (41), Montreal (41), Detroit (40), Philadelphia (39) and the New York Rangers (38) between them and the cutoff line. It’s not an ideal place to be, but with half a season to go, key forwards returning to the lineup, and no one team pulling away from the pack, the GM reinforced his belief in his current group.

“As far as the first half of the season, to say that we feel good at where we stand right now, I don't think we do,” Lamoriello said. “Having our team together the way we have and where we're at right now, it's all in our hands. I feel good about this team. I feel good about this coaching staff. I'll take full responsibility for both groups in where we stand.”

While Lamoriello didn’t want to use the Islanders early season injuries – lengthy absences for Mathew Barzal, Anthony Duclair and Adam Pelech among them – as an excuse for their current standing, he said the team’s identity may not be fully realized yet.

“The identity was always focused in on our fourth line with reference to way that line played,” Lamoriello said. “I think we're a combination of that and a little more skill, but our identity will be when you play consistently on a nightly basis and have success, and we have searched a little for it.”

Lamoriello acknowledged areas the Islanders will need to improve to make a second half push, citing special teams. The Islanders’ own the league’s 32^nd-ranked power play (11%) and penalty kill (64%) – both of which were a focus during practices on Tuesday and Wednesday. If the special teams can stabilize, the Islanders have a plus-four goal differential at five-on-five and have allowed the ninth-fewest five-on-five goals entering Thursday.

Lamoriello also touched on the Islanders’ need to improve their play at home, where they are currently 7-9-2. The Islanders have a season-long seven-game homestand after their Western road swing with head-to-head matchups against Ottawa, Columbus and two games against Philadelphia.

“Our home record hasn't been where it should. We have to take advantage of our home situation,” Lamoriello said. “We have an opportunity right now, and we have to make the most of that opportunity with the group we have. I feel totally confident in this group that they're capable of doing that.”

The GM said the Isles’ 7-1 loss at home to Buffalo on Dec. 23 was a wake-up call for the team. While they are 2-3-0 since, Head Coach Patrick Roy said he’s seen more consistency from the group since a tough game before the break.

“I feel like we’ve started playing very well defensively. That's the identity that we like to have, playing solid in our own zone,” Roy said. “If you go with the analytics, they favor us to win those games. So I know it's not two points in the standings, but it’s a step in the right direction.”

This is not unfamiliar territory for the Islanders, who were six points out of a playoff spot on Feb. 4 last season and went 19-10-4 – including 9-1-1 in their last 11 games – to claw their way to the postseason. That DNA is still in this current group and the GM reinforced that on Thursday.

“Everything is in reach, and it's up to us,” Lamoriello said. “You want it in your own hands. You don't want it in anybody's hands. We’ve got 42 games left now. We have to play one at a time and allow the end result to take care of itself.”