The New York Islanders will play 16 sets of back-to-back games during the 2025-26 NHL season—a critical scheduling fact that could very well determine how far they go in the playoff race.
Back-to-backs have always served as a litmus test for a team's depth, resilience, and goaltending, and for the Isles, it's been a mixed bag in recent years. The team has relied heavily on Ilya Sorokin, but even franchise workhorses need a breather, and a back-to-back is the typical time a head coach will find a spot to relieve their No.1 and get their backup between the pipes.