The 2026-27 season is on the horizon for the New York Islanders, so it's time to preview the season and highlight expectations for the team and each specific player.
One forward, provided good health, will do something only three other Islanders have done in franchise history.
Casey Cizikas enters the 2026-27 season with 978 career games played, all with the Islanders. The 1,000-game milestone is well within reach.
Only Denis Potvin, Bryan Trottier, and Josh Bailey accomplished the feat with the franchise. Anders Lee was close, with over 920 games played, but he left for the Utah Mammoth in free agency.
Cizikas likely begins as New York's fourth-line center, a role he's held down for over a decade now. His remarkable consistency and character have made him an unbelievable Islander throughout his career.
His contract is up at the end of the season, potentially making him an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career.
