The rise, the fall, and the history of the New York Islanders

By Enzo Di Giovanni 

Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026

NEW YORK - Founded on Nov. 8^th, 1971, the New York Islanders are a historic NHL franchise. The franchise is famous for its 1980’s dynasty, in which they won four Stanley Cups in a row along with 19 straight playoff series wins. After their first two years, the Islanders made the playoffs 14 consecutive times. They are the last team in any major professional North American sport to win four championships in a row, and the last NHL team to achieve three in a row. Nassau County hired William Shea, of the New York Mets, to get the NHL to bring a team to Long Island, where the franchise was born. 

The Islanders played their first season in the 1972-73 season. The team was founded as part of the NHL’s plan to keep a team from rival league World Hockey Association out of the brand-new Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. As the years have gone by, the Islanders have not been able to regain their formed success. After the dynasty, the franchise had many problems with things such as money, arena issues, and management/ownership. The results reflect this, as the team has not won a division title since 1987-88, and they went 22 seasons without winning a playoff series before the 2016 playoffs. Even with the lack of success, the fans remain passionate. 

With Nassau Coliseum aging over the years, a proposal for a new arena was rejected in 2011 . In 2012, it was announced that the franchise would move to the Barclays center in Brooklyn ahead of the 2015-16 NHL season. However, this was short lived as New York state boards officials unanimously agreed to a Belmont Park Arena Project in 2019. This came after the Islanders found themselves splitting their games between the Barclays Center and their former home, Nassau Coliseum, during the 2018-19 season. Finally, during the 2021-22 season, the Islanders returned to their native Long Island to play at the newly opened UBS Arena in Elmont. Reigniting the feeling of local pride for many fans. Their team was back where it belonged. 

The Islanders are the pride and joy of many Long Islanders who love hockey. The franchise gave people a chance to identify with their Long Island roots and feel local pride, giving folks an alternative to supporting New York City’s Rangers. For many, the Islanders are a team they hope will feel glory again, having heard stories from their older family members about the dynasty years. With little success since those days, the fans remain true to the team that brought them and their families joy over the years. As of today, the Islanders are once again dreaming of playoff success with their current record standing at 32-21-5, good enough for 8th in the eastern conference. The fans hope to see their team reach the mountain top once again, that dream of glory keeps them going throughout a long 82-game season. Regardless of the outcome of each season, the Islanders will forever be the pride and joy of Long Island.