NHL 2026-27 odds, predictions: Fade the Islanders in Matthew Schaefers second season
Seven weeks before NHL training camps open, we already have a good sense of what the betting market thinks of the 2026-27 season.For the New York Islanders, it’s not flattering.Most sportsbooks have the Isles as the longest shot to win the Metropolitan Division, and they’re near the bottom of the Eastern Conference futures board alongside the Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings.At DraftKings, the Islanders are 150/1 to win the Stanley Cup, the longest odds of any team in the East.The market isn’t projecting the Isles to be awful.Their season point total sits at 88.5, but oddsmakers expect them to struggle in an Eastern Conference that looks set to return to being a gauntlet after an unusual 2025-26 campaign, when perennial contenders like the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs took unexpected steps back.There will be plenty of Islander fans who think this is a harsh projection for a team that has a handful of terrific pieces.
Matthew Schaefer should only get better in his sophomore campaign.Ilya Sorokin was just the runner-up for the Vezina Trophy.
The club hired one of the most respected coaches in the league, Pete DeBoer.And while the forward group may not be elite, there’s a lot to like about a core of Bo Horvat, Mat Barzal, Simon Holmstrom, and Kyle Palmieri.Throw in some bounce-back candidates and emerging talents like Cal Ritchie and Victor Eklund, and you can see the case for the Islanders springing a surprise.The problem is the case against the Islanders is a lot more robust.It starts with their environment.
The East is going to be a beast this season.The Carolina Hurricanes return most of the same group that just won the Stanley Cup.The Panthers added Brady Tkachuk to a roster that is one season removed from back-to-back championships.
The Montreal Canadiens are primed to join the elite ranks of the league.The Washington Capitals loaded up in the summer.
The Tampa Bay Lightning are the Tampa Bay Lightning.And we haven’t even mentioned ...