Islanders look forward to a normal season, finally

The Islanders navigated two COVID-19-impacted seasons, playing in postseason bubbles after a lengthy layoff, then playing at Nassau Coliseum, first without fans but then with attendance steadily increasing. There was daily testing and strict guidelines on social interactions both at home and on the road.

Each year, the Lightning kept them one round short of reaching the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1984.

Now, there will be a shorter-than-usual offseason before training camp opens in mid-September. But the Islanders and the rest of the NHL can look forward to a full 82-game season in 2021-22 season, played in front of full capacity — or close to it — crowds in the usual…