The situation worsened on Saturday when the New York Islanders announced that All-Star forward Mathew Barzal has been placed on long-term injured reserve (LTIR), and defenseman Adam Pelech is on injured reserve (IR). Additionally, defensemen Mike Reilly and Alexander Romanov are considered day-to-day after both exited the team’s 4-3 victory
Romanov did manage to return to the ice in the third period. In light of the injuries, General Manager Lou Lamoriello revealed that the team has called up defensemen Grant Hutton and Samuel Bolduc from Bridgeport, as their defensive lineup is now similarly depleted to how it was last November. The most significant setback for the team is losing Barzal. The Islanders have suffered four shutouts in their first 11 games this season, and now they will be without their top playmaker for a while.
The hopes of having a strong first line were already hampered by the injury of Anthony Duclair during a 4-3 shootout win against the Montreal Canadiens at UBS Arena. Duclair, also on LTIR, has a lower-body injury but is expected to return in about 4-6 weeks after avoiding a more serious diagnosis. Barzal has had a slow start to the season, with only five points (2 goals, 3 assists) in 10 games, after previously averaging over a point per game last season. He has not yet scored a goal at even strength.
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Pelech’s injury seems to be a recurring issue for the team. Last year, they addressed the lack of depth by claiming Reilly off waivers from the Florida Panthers and later trading for Robert Bortuzzo from the St. Louis Blues while waiting for his return. This time, it looks like the Islanders will first look to fill the gap internally by promoting Hutton and Bolduc from the minors. This could also mean more ice time for Dennis Cholowski, who secured a spot as the seventh defenseman coming out of training camp. The Islanders will need to stay afloat for the next month or two without some key players.
While the Eastern Conference isn’t overly punishing, their slow start has already put them in a challenging position, despite their emphasis on a strong beginning during training camp. They will need to rely more heavily on their goaltending and ensure that the healthy members of their veteran core step up in Barzal’s absence.
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