The New York Islanders are a professional North American ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL). The team plays in the Metropolitan division of the NHL’s Eastern Conference. The Islanders were founded in 1972 as an NHL expansion team. There was a bidding war over the team between the NHL and the World Hockey Association (WHA), but the Islanders ultimately decided to join the NHL. It took only three years for the team to find success as they made 14 straight playoff appearances beginning in their third season. In that span, the Islanders won four straight Stanley Cup championships between 1980 and 1983. They also won six division titles and six conference championships. The Islanders have not won a division title since 1988, and they have not been back to the Stanley Cup Final since 1984.

The Islanders play their home games at both the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York, and the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The Islanders will continue to do this until the 2021-2022 season when they will move into the new Belmont Park Arena in Elmont, New York. The Islanders have retired the numbers 5, 9, 19, 22, 23, and 31, all for players that were on the team for their stretch of 14 consecutive playoff appearances. Most notable among them are defenseman Denis Potvin, center Bryan Trottier, right winger Mike Boss, and goalie Billy Smith.