The 2026 summer for the New York Islanders [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders] has been relatively quiet, with the majority of business that's gotten done skewing heavily to shoring up the team's depth at every position. From top-six insurance Matias Maccelli [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/latest-news/matias-maccellis-ranking-among-2019-draft-picks-may-surprise-islanders-fans] to a focus on right-shot depth, including signing Matthew Kessel [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/latest-news/islanders-sign-goalie-right-shot-defenseman-as-free-agency-continues], it's clear the Islanders came into this summer with a plan. Shoring up their depth. Last season, the Islanders dealt with major injuries throughout the season, most notably to Kyle Palmieri and Alexander Romanov. Neither player played more than 25 games. In net, the Islanders rode Ilya Sorokin hard after David Rittich struggled heavily throughout the back half of the season with no other option to step up. This year behind Sorokin, the Islanders will have Semyon Varlamov and Vitek Vanecek [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/latest-news/islanders-sign-goalie-right-shot-defenseman-as-free-agency-continues] both ready to go, significant upgrades for the team's depth. Defensively, the team never recovered from Romanov's injury. For two months, the team shuffled through Marshall Warren, Travis Mitchell, and Cole McWard, before acquiring Carson Soucy as a stopgap. Isaiah George, who would've been the guy to step in, dealt with multiple injuries throughout the season, and did not get a chance to break through. This year, the Islanders have their usual three plus George and Warren. On the right side, the team has Kessel entering. Up front is where the depth gets real. Palmieri and Pierre Engvall return from season-long injuries to shore up roster spots. Maccelli arrives as a sure-fire top-nine winger, boasting legitimate top-six potential. While Marc Gatcomb, Anders Lee, and Maxim Shabanov left, the team has a youth movement coming from behind. Victor Eklund leads the charge, while Cole Eiserman enters his first professional season. Under-the-radar players like Daylan Kuefler and Liam Foudy will be pushing for a spot come September. The Islanders are set up to withstand injuries they could not last year. It's a good start for a team slowing turn the page from one era to the next.
