Matthew Schaefer #48 of the New York Islanders celebrates the game-winning goal in overtime against the Utah Mammoth at Delta Center on Nov. 14, 2025 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NHLI via Getty Images

DETROIT — The season is 20 games old, right in the sweet spot where it is still early enough that you need to operate with a degree of caution, but not so early that you can wave away what is happening by calling it a small sample size.

So yes, there is plenty of time for things to change, and you can bet they will. Right now, though, you need to take seriously what is in front of you. And what is in front of everybody is the Islanders’ 11-4-2 record following a three-game losing streak to start the season.

That was tied with the Colorado Avalanche for the highest point total in the NHL from

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