Early look · NHL 2026-27

New York Islanders at New Jersey Devils: game preview

NY IslandersIslanders2026-27: 1-2-0 · 2 pts · 2025-26: 43-34-5 · 91 pts · 19that

New JerseyDevils2026-27: 1-2-0 · 2 pts · 2025-26: 42-37-3 · 87 pts · 21st

Puck drop16 Jan · 7:00 PM ET

VenuePrudential Center

All-time meetings252 completed

BasisLast 5 meetings + 2025-26

The thesis

Four points apart last season

NY Islanders finished last season 19th in the league on 91 points. New Jersey finished 21st on 87, and the 2025-26 season series went NYI 4-0-0.

Game-day prices arrive with the afternoon snapshot, about 4:30 PM ET on the day of the game.

Head-to-head

Meeting number 253

Across 252 completed games, NY Islanders lead the head-to-head 139-90-22.

All-time record139-90-22NY Islanders's record in the series

Meetings played252This is number 253

2025-26 seriesNYI 4-0-0

Last 55-0NY Islanders

Last 5 meetings

See all: Last 5 meetings →

DateResultShotsPower playWinner

3 OctNJD 0 – NYI 637–32NJD 0/5 · NYI 1/3NYI

5 Feb 2026NYI 3 – NJD 114–24NYI 0/1 · NJD 0/1NYI

6 Jan 2026NJD 0 – NYI 944–24NJD 0/3 · NYI 0/0NYI

23 Dec 2025NJD 1 – NYI 232–25NJD 0/0 · NYI 0/0NYI

10 Nov 2025NYI 3 – NJD 2 OT24–35NYI 1/1 · NJD 1/4NYI

Head-to-head finder

The table on each meeting night

DateNY IslandersNew Jersey

10 Nov 20258-6-2 · 18 pts16th11-4-1 · 23 pts3rd

23 Dec 202520-13-4 · 44 pts9th20-16-1 · 41 pts17th

6 Jan 202624-15-4 · 52 pts8th22-19-2 · 46 pts19th

5 Feb 202628-19-5 · 61 pts13th27-23-2 · 56 pts20th

3 Oct1-1-0 · 2 pts15th1-1-0 · 2 pts24th

League rank after that night's games; a longer bar is a higher place. On 10 Nov 2025, NY Islanders were 16th in the league and New Jersey 3rd. By 3 Oct it was 15th and 24th.

Where the shots come from · last 5 meetings

New Jersey out-attempted NY Islanders 342 to 238

Every attempt from the last meetings, both teams shooting right.

New York Islanders

238 att · 119 on goal · 23 G · 19.3%

Crease25 att · 4 G

Slot91 att · 13 G

Wing75 att · 5 G

Point40 att · 0 G

Neutral zone7 att · 1 G

New Jersey Devils

342 att · 172 on goal · 4 G · 2.3%

Crease32 att · 0 G

Slot127 att · 3 G

Wing132 att · 0 G

Point41 att · 1 G

Neutral zone10 att · 0 G

GoalOn goalMissedBlocked

Expected goals

New Jersey have created the better chances, last 10 games

Shot quality both ways: expected goals weigh every unblocked attempt by its chance of scoring. Finishing above zero means more goals than the chances.

NY IslandersNew Jersey

2.90xG for per game3.52

3.70xG against per game3.01

44.0%xG share53.9%

+0.3FinishingGoals minus expected goals−4.5

+4.1GoaltendingExpected goals against minus goals allowed−4.0

This season: 3 games for NY Islanders, 3 for New Jersey. Small sample: early-season xG moves a lot from night to night.

Every team’s xG →

Special teams

Power play and penalty kill, season and series

This season's rates first, then 2025-26 and the last meetings between the two. Power-play chances are counted from the penalty log with coincidental minors cancelled; faceoffs are each club's wins over draws taken.

All bars share one scale · 0–100%SeasonLast meetings

NY Islanders

Small sample

Power play · 2026-2718.2%

Power play · 2025-2616.5% · 30th

Power play · last 5 meetings2/5 · 40.0%

Penalty kill · 2026-2783.3%

Penalty kill · 2025-2680.8% · 10th

Faceoffs · 2026-2749.1% · 81/165

Drawn · 2026-2711 (3.67/gm)

Drawn · last meetings5 (1.00/gm)

Shorthanded · 2026-2712 (4.00/gm)

PP goals · last meetings2

New Jersey

Small sample

Power play · 2026-277.1%

Power play · 2025-2622.0% · 13th

Power play · last 5 meetings1/13 · 7.7%

Penalty kill · 2026-2762.5%

Penalty kill · 2025-2679.3% · 17th

Faceoffs · 2026-2747.5% · 87/183

Drawn · 2026-2714 (4.67/gm)

Drawn · last meetings13 (2.60/gm)

Shorthanded · 2026-278 (2.67/gm)

PP goals · last meetings1

Skaters

Casey Cizikas has 6 points in the last 5 meetings

Each club's top three forwards and defencemen by points this season, with 2025-26 one tap away, then who has produced in the last meetings.

In the last meetings

See all: In the last meetings →

PlayerGPGAPSOG

53Casey Cizikas542612

92Simon Holmstrom53257

13Mathew Barzal43257

11Anthony Duclair43256

14Bo Horvat33256

48Matthew Schaefer50447

77Tony DeAngelo51235

3Adam Pelech51234

63Jesper Bratt50338

6Ryan Pulock50331

Head-to-head finder

Casey Cizikas vs New Jersey · game by game

See all: Casey Cizikas vs New Jersey · game by game →

DateVenueGAPSOGTOI

3 Octhome112414:05

5 Feb 2026away101212:05

6 Jan 2026home213313:59

23 Dec 2025home000210:45

10 Nov 2025away00019:27

Last 5 meetings6 P4 G, 2 A · 12 SOG

Next best5 PSimon Holmstrom, NYI

2026-27 season2 P3 GP · 1 G

Blank vs NJD2 of 5

Full game log

Goaltending

Ilya Sorokin has started most of these meetings

Ilya Sorokin played 4 of the last 5 meetings with New Jersey, with a .979 save percentage. Starters are confirmed on game day.

Expected startersAn estimate until the teams confirmEvery game tonight →

NY Islanders

Expected starter after their game on 15 Jan: a back-to-back depends on who plays that night.

New Jersey

Expected starter after their game on 13 Jan: a back-to-back depends on who plays that night.

Ilya Sorokin

See all: Ilya Sorokin →

NYI · 1-1-0 in 2026-27 Starter estimate from 13 Jan

SV% · 2026-27.9682 GP · 1.02 GAA · 2025-26 .906

vs New Jersey.9794 app · 140 SA · 3 GA

GSAx · 2026-27+4.12 starts · most on the roster

vs NJDVenueSAGASV%

3 Octhome3701.000

5 Feb 2026away241.958

6 Jan 2026home4401.000

10 Nov 2025away352.943

Also on the roster, 2026-27: Semyon Varlamov .864 (1 GP)

Full game log

New Jersey crease

NJD · 2026-27 Starter estimate from 13 Jan

Jake Allen.8752 GP · 1-1-0 · GSAx −1.7

Nico Daws.8131 GP · 0-1-0 · GSAx −2.5

Two goalies used against NY Islanders

#vs NYIAppsSAGASV%

50Nico Daws1326.813

34Jake Allen1132.846

Totals

Scoring rates point to about 5.8 goals

No total is posted yet: it arrives with the game-day prices. Until then, the scoring rates and the recent meetings set the range.

Goals in the last 5 meetings

3 Oct6 · NJD 0–6 NYI

5 Feb 20264 · NYI 3–1 NJD

6 Jan 20269 · NJD 0–9 NYI

23 Dec 20253 · NJD 1–2 NYI

10 Nov 20255 · NYI 3–2 NJD

Bar length is total goals, coloured by the winner.

Scoring rates

Team26-27 GF26-27 GA25-26 GF25-26 GA

NY Islanders3.002.332.842.94

New Jersey2.004.332.803.10

Goals for and against per game. The estimate averages each team’s scoring with the other’s goals allowed, and leans on 2025-26 until a team has played 20 games.

Scoring rates suggest5.8Goals in this game

Last 5 meetings5.4Goals per game

Line—No total posted yet

Books at the line—With the game-day prices

Team news

7 on the injury lists

NY Islanders · injuries

Alexander RomanovUndisclosedDay-to-dayReturn8 Oct

Mathew BarzalKneeIRReturn10 Oct

New Jersey · injuries

Connor BrownLower BodyOutReturn12 Oct

Johnathan KovacevicKneeIRReturn10 Oct

Jonas SiegenthalerUndisclosedDay-to-dayReturn10 Oct

Nick BjugstadPectoralIRReturn19 Jan

Seamus CaseyKneeIRReturn21 Nov

Latest moves

See all: Latest moves →

27 Sep · NYI

Agreed to terms with LD Logan Stanley on a 1-Year contract worth $1.5M. Placed G Vitek Vanecek on waivers with the intention of sending to Hamilton (AHL)

26 Sep · NYI

Waived Fs Tanner Fritz, Matt Luff and Nathan Chaffee. Waived Fs Dylan Foudy and Hudson Kuefler for the purpose of sending to Hamilton (AHL).

24 Jul 2026 · NYI

Signed F Alex Jefferies to a one-year contract.

27 Sep · NJD

Claimed LW Jeremie Poirier off waivers.

27 Sep · NJD

Claimed LW Jeremie Poirier off waivers. Placed C/RW Marc McLaughlin, LD Vladislav Kolyachonok, G David Rittich, LW Riley Tufte, LD Topias Vilen, and C/RW Colin White on waivers.

25 Sep · NJD

Assigned Ds Mikael Diotte, Ethan Edwards, Jeremy Hanzel, Etienne Morin and Anton Silaev, Fs Josh Filmon, Lenni Hameenaho, Shane Lachance, Matyas Melovsky, Xavier Parent, Cam Squires and Ben Steeves and G Jakub Malek to Utica (AHL). Waived for the purpose of assignment to Utica Ds DJ King, Charles Leddy and Eamon Powell, Fs Tristan Ashbrook, Zachary Gallant, Gabe Klassen, Jack Malone, Justin Pearson, Ryan Schmelzer, Cristophe Tellier and Jermey Wilmer and Gs Jeremy Brodeur and Seth Eisele.

Injury report

NY Islanders · 2026 draft

See all: NY Islanders · 2026 draft →

#13Malte GustafssonRound 1 · Hv71D

#109Lincoln KuehneRound 4 · Arizona StateD

#141Vladimir DraveckyRound 5 · BrantfordD

#173Artyom MatyukRound 6 · Nizhny Novgorod Jr.C

Full draft

New Jersey · 2026 draft

See all: New Jersey · 2026 draft →

#12Alexander CommandRound 1 · Orebro Jr.C

#37Matias VanhanenRound 2 · EverettLW

#44Nikita ShcherbakovRound 2 · Ufa Jr.D

#119Lavr GashilovRound 4 · Yekaterinburg Jr.C

Full draft

Saturday 16 January · the full slate

See all: Saturday 16 January · the full slate →

NJDThis game 7:00 PM ET

Updated after every final

New York Islanders at New Jersey Devils: game preview

Four points apart last season

Meeting number 253

Last 5 meetings

The table on each meeting night

New Jersey out-attempted NY Islanders 342 to 238

New York Islanders

New Jersey Devils

New Jersey have created the better chances, last 10 games

Power play and penalty kill, season and series

NY Islanders

New Jersey

Casey Cizikas has 6 points in the last 5 meetings

Forwards to watch

Defencemen to watch

In the last meetings

Casey Cizikas vs New Jersey · game by game

Ilya Sorokin has started most of these meetings

Ilya Sorokin

New Jersey crease

Scoring rates point to about 5.8 goals

Goals in the last 5 meetings

Scoring rates

7 on the injury lists

NY Islanders · injuries

New Jersey · injuries

Latest moves

NY Islanders · 2026 draft

New Jersey · 2026 draft

Saturday 16 January · the full slate