The 2020–21 New York Islanders season was the 49th season in the franchise's history. It was their first full season in the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum since returning to the arena full-time for the 2020–21 season, as well as their 45th overall and final season in the arena. In June 2020, the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum's leaseholder announced that the arena would be closed and seek a new leaseholder, which was found in August 2020.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19 cross-border travel restrictions imposed by the Government of Canada, the Islanders played a shortened 56-game regular season, which consisted of divisional play only, with the Islanders being temporarily realigned from the Metropolitan Division to the East Division.

Fan attendance in home games was prohibited until February 23, per an executive order from Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo. The Islanders reopened Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum to spectators on March 18.

The team made the playoffs for the third straight season when they defeated the New York Rangers on May 1, 2021. This marked the first time since the 2003–04 season that the Islanders clinched a playoff spot for a third consecutive season. They would go on to defeat the division champions Pittsburgh Penguins in the First round in six games. Game 6 of the series was the first series-clinching game at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum since 1993. After defeating Pittsburgh, the Islanders would later compete against the Boston Bruins in the Second round and defeat them in six games. They were reseeded 3rd in the Stanley Cup semifinals, and competed against the Tampa Bay Lightning, where they were defeated in seven games.

Standings

Divisional standings

Schedule and results

Regular season The regular season schedule was published on December 23, 2020. 2020–21 game logJanuary: 3–4–2 (Home: 2–0–0; Road: 1–4–2) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 January 14 NY Islanders 4–0 NY Rangers Varlamov 0 1–0–0 2 2 January 16 NY Islanders 0–5 NY Rangers Sorokin 0 1–1–0 2 3 January 18 Boston 0–1 NY Islanders Varlamov 0 2–1–0 4 4 January 21 New Jersey 1–4 NY Islanders Varlamov 0 3–1–0 6 5 January 24 NY Islanders 0–2 New Jersey Sorokin 0 3–2–0 6 6 January 26 NY Islanders 2–3 Washington Varlamov 0 3–3–0 6 7 January 28 NY Islanders 3–6 Washington Varlamov 0 3–4–0 6 8 January 30 NY Islanders 2–3 Philadelphia OT Varlamov 0 3–4–1 7 9 January 31 NY Islanders 3–4 Philadelphia OT Sorokin 0 3–4–2 8 February: 8–2–2 (Home: 5–0–2; Road: 3–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap — February 2 Buffalo – NY Islanders Postponed due to COVID-19 protocol; moved to February 22 — February 4 Buffalo – NY Islanders Postponed due to COVID-19 protocol; moved to March 4 10 February 6 Pittsburgh 3–4 NY Islanders Varlamov 0 4–4–2 10 11 February 8 NY Islanders 2–0 NY Rangers Varlamov 0 5–4–2 12 12 February 11 Pittsburgh 4–3 NY Islanders SO Varlamov 0 5–4–3 13 13 February 13 Boston 2–4 NY Islanders Varlamov 0 6–4–3 15 14 February 15 NY Islanders 3–1 Buffalo Varlamov 0 7–4–3 17 15 February 16 NY Islanders 3–0 Buffalo Sorokin 0 8–4–3 19 16 February 18 NY Islanders 1–4 Pittsburgh Varlamov 0 8–5–3 19 17 February 20 NY Islanders 2–3 Pittsburgh Varlamov 0 8–6–3 19 18 February 22 Buffalo 2–3 NY Islanders Varlamov 0 9–6–3 21 19 February 25 Boston 2–7 NY Islanders Varlamov 0 10–6–3 23 20 February 27 Pittsburgh 4–3 NY Islanders OT Varlamov 0 10–6–4 24 21 February 28 Pittsburgh 0–2 NY Islanders Sorokin 0 11–6–4 26 March: 11–4–0 (Home: 6–1–0; Road: 5–3–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 22 March 2 NY Islanders 2–1 New Jersey Varlamov 1,800 12–6–4 28 23 March 4 Buffalo 2–5 NY Islanders Sorokin 0 13–6–4 30 24 March 6 Buffalo 2–5 NY Islanders Varlamov 0 14–6–4 32 25 March 7 Buffalo 2–5 NY Islanders Sorokin 0 15–6–4 34 26 March 9 Boston 1–2 NY Islanders SO Varlamov 0 16–6–4 36 27 March 11 New Jersey 3–5 NY Islanders Sorokin 1,000 17–6–4 38 28 March 13 NY Islanders 3–2 New Jersey Varlamov 1,800 18–6–4 40 29 March 14 NY Islanders 3–2 New Jersey SO Sorokin 1,800 19–6–4 42 30 March 16 NY Islanders 1–3 Washington Varlamov 0 19–7–4 42 31 March 18 Philadelphia 4–3 NY Islanders Varlamov 1,400 19–8–4 42 32 March 20 Philadelphia 1–6 NY Islanders Sorokin 1,400 20–8–4 44 33 March 22 NY Islanders 2–1 Philadelphia OT Sorokin 2,820 21–8–4 46 — March 23 NY Islanders – Boston Postponed due to COVID-19 protocol; moved to May 10 34 March 25 NY Islanders 4–3 Boston OT Varlamov 2,191 22–8–4 48 35 March 27 NY Islanders 3–6 Pittsburgh Sorokin 2,800 22–9–4 48 36 March 29 NY Islanders 1–2 Pittsburgh Varlamov 2,800 22–10–4 48 April: 8–5–1 (Home: 6–2–1; Road: 2–3–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 37 April 1 Washington 4–8 NY Islanders Varlamov 1,400 23–10–4 50 38 April 3 Philadelphia 2–3 NY Islanders SO Sorokin 1,400 24–10–4 52 39 April 6 Washington 0–1 NY Islanders Varlamov 1,400 25–10–4 54 40 April 8 Philadelphia 2–3 NY Islanders SO Sorokin 1,400 26–10–4 56 41 April 9 NY Rangers 4–1 NY Islanders Varlamov 1,400 26–11–4 56 42 April 11 NY Rangers 2–3 NY Islanders OT Sorokin 1,400 27–11–4 58 43 April 15 NY Islanders 1–4 Boston Varlamov 2,191 27–12–4 58 44 April 16 NY Islanders 0–3 Boston Sorokin 2,191 27–13–4 58 45 April 18 NY Islanders 1–0 Philadelphia OT Sorokin 3,603 28–13–4 60 46 April 20 NY Rangers 1–6 NY Islanders Varlamov 1,400 29–13–4 62 47 April 22 Washington 1–0 NY Islanders SO Varlamov 1,400 29–13–5 63 48 April 24 Washington 6–3 NY Islanders Sorokin 1,400 29–14–5 63 49 April 27 NY Islanders 0–1 Washington Sorokin 2,133 29–15–5 63 50 April 29 NY Islanders 4–0 NY Rangers Varlamov 1,800 30–15–5 65 May: 2–2–2 (Home: 2–1–0; Road: 0–1–2) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 51 May 1 NY Rangers 0–3 NY Islanders Varlamov 1,400 31–15–5 67 52 May 3 NY Islanders 2–4 Buffalo Varlamov 0 31–16–5 67 53 May 4 NY Islanders 3–4 Buffalo SO Sorokin 0 31–16–6 68 54 May 6 New Jersey 2–1 NY Islanders Varlamov 1,400 31–17–6 68 55 May 8 New Jersey 1–5 NY Islanders Sorokin — 32–17–6 70 56 May 10 NY Islanders 2–3 Boston OT Sorokin 4,565 32–17–7 71 Legend:

Playoffs

The Islanders faced the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round, defeating them in six games.

The Islanders faced the Boston Bruins in the second round, defeating them in six games.

The Islanders faced the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup semifinals, where they lost in seven games. 2021 Stanley Cup playoffsEast Division first round vs. (E1) Pittsburgh Penguins: New York won 4–2 # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Series Recap 1 May 16 NY Islanders 4–3 Pittsburgh OT Sorokin 4,672 1–0 2 May 18 NY Islanders 1–2 Pittsburgh Varlamov 9,344 1–1 3 May 20 Pittsburgh 5–4 NY Islanders Varlamov 6,800 1–2 4 May 22 Pittsburgh 1–4 NY Islanders Sorokin 6,800 2–2 5 May 24 NY Islanders 3–2 Pittsburgh 2OT Sorokin 9,344 3–2 6 May 26 Pittsburgh 3–5 NY Islanders Sorokin 9,000 4–2 East Division second round vs. (E3) Boston Bruins: New York won 4–2 # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Series Recap 1 May 29 NY Islanders 2–5 Boston Sorokin 17,400 0–1 2 May 31 NY Islanders 4–3 Boston OT Varlamov 17,400 1–1 3 June 3 Boston 2–1 NY Islanders OT Varlamov 12,000 1–2 4 June 5 Boston 1–4 NY Islanders Varlamov 12,000 2–2 5 June 7 NY Islanders 5–4 Boston Varlamov 17,400 3–2 6 June 9 Boston 2–6 NY Islanders Varlamov 12,000 4–2 Stanley Cup semifinals vs. (C3) Tampa Bay Lightning: Tampa Bay won 4–3 # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Series Recap 1 June 13 NY Islanders 2–1 Tampa Bay Varlamov 14,513 1–0 2 June 15 NY Islanders 2–4 Tampa Bay Varlamov 14,771 1–1 3 June 17 Tampa Bay 2–1 NY Islanders Varlamov 12,978 1–2 4 June 19 Tampa Bay 2–3 NY Islanders Varlamov 12,978 2–2 5 June 21 NY Islanders 0–8 Tampa Bay Varlamov 14,791 2–3 6 June 23 Tampa Bay 2–3 NY Islanders OT Varlamov 12,978 3–3 7 June 25 NY Islanders 0–1 Tampa Bay Varlamov 14,805 3–4 Legend:

Player statistics As of June 25, 2021

Skaters

Regular season Player 55 17 28 45 +15 48 54 8 27 35 +12 4 56 18 15 33 14 55 16 17 33 +9 16 56 2 29 31 8 47 15 13 28 +15 12 54 14 14 28 +10 10 44 12 9 21 +2 21 27 12 7 19 +11 12 56 2 15 17 +15 8 56 2 13 15 +2 38 56 7 7 14 27 56 4 10 14 +15 18 46 3 11 14 +1 8 54 6 5 11 36 50 4 7 11 10 33 1 7 8 +7 15 55 1 4 5 +9 6† 17 2 2 4 2 26 1 3 4 +1 4 14 3 0 3 0 4 3 1 1 2 2† 13 1 1 2 0 5 0 2 2 +5 0 12 0 1 1 35† 3 0 0 0 0 4 1 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0

Playoffs Player 19 6 8 14 0 19 19 6 7 13 4 19 5 8 13 4 19 3 10 13 +9 6 19 7 5 12 4 19 4 7 11 4 19 7 2 9 +5 10 19 4 3 7 +5 10 19 0 7 7 +1 0 19 4 2 6 4 19 2 4 6 +12 25 19 0 6 6 +2 2 19 2 3 5 0 2 19 1 4 5 13 5 1 2 3 +2 8 19 0 3 3 14 19 1 1 2 +1 43 14 1 1 2 +2 6 19 0 1 1 +1 8

Goaltenders Regular season Player 36 35 2,116:56 19 11 4 72 2.04 1,020 .929 7 0 1 2 22 21 1,271:47 13 6 3 46 2.17 563 .918 3 0 0 0

Playoffs Player 14 14 797:26 7 7 34 2.56 437 .922 0 0 0 0 7 5 386:58 4 1 18 2.79 230 .922 0 0 0 2

Awards and honors

Awards Regular season Player Award Date Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award June 22, 2021

Transactions The Islanders have been involved in the following transactions during the 2020–21 season.

Trades Date Details Ref To Colorado AvalancheKyle BurroughsTo New York IslandersA. J. Greer To Colorado AvalancheDevon ToewsTo New York Islanders2nd-round pick in 20212nd-round pick in 2022 To Detroit Red WingsFuture considerationsTo New York IslandersDmytro Timashov To New Jersey DevilsA. J. GreerMason Jobst1st-round pick in 2021Conditional 4th-round pick in 2022To New York IslandersKyle PalmieriTravis Zajac To Ottawa Senators7th-round pick in 2022To New York IslandersBraydon Coburn

Free agents Date Player Team Contract term Ref Christopher Gibson to Tampa Bay Lightning 1-year Thomas Greiss to Detroit Red Wings 2-year Austin Czarnik from Calgary Flames 2-year Seth Helgeson to Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL) 1-year Jared Coreau to Bratislava Capitals (IHL) 1-year Derick Brassard to Arizona Coyotes 1-year Travis St. Denis to Binghamton Devils (AHL) 1-year Jordan Schmaltz to Tucson Roadrunners (AHL) 1-year Tom Kühnhackl to Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL) 1-year Andrew Ladd to Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL) 1-year Ken Appleby from Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL) 2-year

Retirement Date Player Ref Johnny Boychuk

Signings Date Player Contract term Ref Sebastian Aho 2-year Grant Hutton 2-year A. J. Greer 1-year Josh Ho-Sang 1-year Mitchell Vande Sompel 2-year Parker Wotherspoon 2-year Ryan Pulock 2-year Mathew Barzal 3-year Andy Greene 1-year Matt Martin 4-year Cory Schneider 1-year Robin Salo 2-year Anatolii Golyshev 1-year Collin Adams 2-year Reece Newkirk 3-year

Draft picks

Below are the New York Islanders' selections at the 2020 NHL entry draft, which was held on October 6 and 7, 2020, in a remote format, with teams convening via videoconferencing, and Commissioner Gary Bettman announcing selections from the NHL Network studios in Secaucus, New Jersey. It was originally scheduled to be held on June 26–27, 2020, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, but was postponed on March 25, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the conclusion of the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Round # Player Pos Nationality College/junior/club team390 Alexander Ljungkrantz LW Brynäs IF J20 (J20 SuperElit)4121 Alex Jefferies LW The Frederick Gunn School (Connecticut)5152 William Dufour RW Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL)6183 Matias Rajaniemi D Lahti Pelicans (Liiga)7214 Henrik Tikkanen G IPH (Mestis)

Notes

References