Islanders focused on getting off to strong start in first full season under Patrick Roy
Associated PressNew York Islanders Last season: 39-27-16. What to expect After a strong finish down the stretch, the Islanders head into their first full season under Roy with a focus on getting off to a strong start. The Islanders return mostly the same lineup that played in first-round losses to Carolina the last two years, so there is familiarity for a team looking for its first Cup title since wining four straight in 1980-83. Strenths and weaknesses The good: Brock Nelson, Bo Horvat and Kyle Palmieri gave the Islanders multiple 30-goal scorers for the first time since 2017-18. Players to watch Horvat had 33 goals and 35 assists in his first full season with the Islanders, topping 30 goals for the third straight year and finishing two points shy of the career-high 70 he totaled with the Vancouver Canucks and Islanders the previous year.