NHL Quarter Mark Shockers: Which Teams Are Surpassing Expectations—and Which Are Crashing Hard?
Matthew Schaefer has made an immediate impact on the Islanders. (Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
New York Islanders: A-
The Islanders’ season has been far from perfect. Defense has been a real weakness, both at five-on-five and on the penalty kill. But after Mathieu Darche took over and kicked off a retool, expectations changed for the Islanders — and they are exceeding them. Matthew Schaefer has made an immediate impact with his dynamic all-around game. Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal have been difference makers up front, and after shaking off some offseason rust, Ilya Sorokin has been strong in net. So even if the team steps back and sells at the deadline, that progress is all important in the big picture. — Shayna Goldman
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