The perception might be that this Islanders’ group is new to the playoff experience after the team missed out the previous two seasons and the new management, led by president and general manager Lou Lamoriello and coach Barry Trotz, has been given plenty of accolades for an organizational turnaround.
But this is not a team devoid of playoff veterans. Quite the contrary.
The Islandersopen a season-concluding two-game road trip at Florida on Thursday night. They clinched their first playoff berth since 2016 with a 5-1 win over the Sabres on Saturday night at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum.