Scouting Report (Courtesy of Field Level Media/AP)
The New York Islanders, who on Saturday clinched their first playoff berth since 2016, visit the Florida Panthers on Thursday night in what amounts to a tune-up for the postseason.
Twenty Islanders have playoff experience, and five have lifted the Stanley Cup for other teams: defensemen Johnny Boychuk (Boston Bruins, 2011) and Nick Leddy(Chicago Blackhawks, 2013), center Valtteri Filppula (Detroit Red Wings, 2008) and wingers Andrew Ladd (Carolina Hurricanes, 2006; Blackhawks, 2010) and Tom Kuhnhackl (Pittsburgh Penguins, 2016 and 2017).