Fans, Management, Media, and Everybody Perplexed as Team Stumbles Into Playoffs

With a loss to the neighbouring powerhouse New York Rangers today, the New York Islanders in mysterious ways secured a playoff spot with one game to play in the EHE regular season. Everybody involved in the endeavour, from the players to management to the fans, were cautiously optimistic to downright confused.

The reactions on the twittersphere and online were one of perplexed bemusement. Reactions ranged from "These guys can't even tank properly" to "We were looking forward to another lottery pick", but the return of playoff hockey to the Islander team really shocked the management.

"Yeah if I told you I was confident in making the playoffs this year, and I believed we could do it... that would be a bunch of bullshit." - said the always quotable GM Tony Chiu. "Guys really stepped up this season. Mac was our best player, he has become the player we've needed him to become. Freddy made big saves all season. Still, if you told me our team would have 93 points and a playoff spot at the beginningo of the season, I'd have told you get a brain scan."

Pundits and media have chalked up the 20 point improvement in performance due to a number of free agent signings. Jannik Hansen, Brad Richardson, and David Schlemko were three players the GM was familiar with, and filling the pro team with actual NHL players seem to have make the team not a giant flaming turd.

"We're still on the 5 year plan, it's just that the scouting staff has to work harder to find future NHL talent." 

There are also a number of important free agents that could potentially leave the team this off season that will leave holes to be filled, including veteran defenseman Matt Hunwick, on a team with barely any NHL talent that forced the team to bring in 3 NHL D at the deadline.