Why the Islanders wanted defenseman Carson Soucy from the Rangers and wing Ondrej Palat from the Devils was purely for hockey reasons with injuries leaving holes in their lineup. Why the two players wanted to come — and commute — to Long Island was a mix of family concerns and a chance to be part of a playoff push.

When Bobby Orr's name came up after passing him in the record books, Matthew Schaefer flashed a big grin. “Who's that?” he asked jokingly. Schaefer knows very well who Bobby Orr, Denis Potvin and Phil Housley are,

Just one day after being traded away from the New Jersey Devils, this veteran forward scored his first goal for the New York Islanders en route to their win over the New York Rangers.

Snapshots from the New York Islanders' 2-1 win over the New York Rangers on January 29th, 2026. Photo credit: Dennis DaSilva/New York Islanders and Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images

The Devils on Tuesday traded Ondrej Palat, a 2026 third-round pick and 2027 sixth-round pick to the Islanders in exchange for bulky forward Maxim Tsyplakov.

The "Battle of New York' featuring the Islanders and the Rangers is set for Thursday night as the two NHL rivals face off at Madison Square Garden.

Expert recap and game analysis of the New York Islanders vs. Philadelphia Flyers NHL game from January 26, 2026 on ESPN.

Curiously enough, the Rangers and Islanders meet again tonight at The Garden following last night's weird encounter at UBS Arena in Elmont.