Last season, the Islanders were one of the worst defensive teams in the NHL, and as a result, missed the playoffs by a rather wide margin. This season presented a marked turnaround for the Islanders on defense, as head Barry Trotz came in and fostered a major bounce back campaign.
Statistically, the Islanders are one of the best defensive units in the league, but those numbers are partially buoyed by the stellar play of their goaltenders. When digging deeper into the underlying numbers of the Islanders blueliners, some vulnerabilities start to emerge. That could be a troublesome sign when the Islanders defense will be tasked with slowing down the like of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and the Penguins offensive attack in the first round.