Islanders News

EASTERN METROPOLITAN

Mathew Barzal • C • Islanders

Mathew Barzal Upgraded to Day-to-Day

New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal (knee) will remain out Monday against the San Jose Sharks, but he has been upgraded to day-to-day. This suggests Barzal's season debut is near. He's missed all of the 2026-27 action so far due to a knee issue. Matias Maccelli (lower body) is now also day-to-day, meaning the Islanders' frontline could receive a big boost later this week. Barzal finished last season with 72 points (19 goals, 53 assists) in 81 games. He'll have plenty to offer fantasy teams once he's on the ice.

2 days ago

Mathew Barzal • C • Islanders

Mathew Barzal Rejoins Practice Wednesday

New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal (knee) participated in Wednesday's practice, Tyler Millen of the Islanders' official site reports. He's been out this season with knee inflammation, and this was the first time he had joined the team for practice. Barzal wore a non-contract jersey, indicating he still needs some work before he's ready for his season debut. Last season, Barzal missed only one game and put up 72 points (19 goals, 53 assists). He's one of the Islanders' most consistent offensive players, making him a player worth watching for fantasy managers.

7 days ago

Ryan Pulock • D • Islanders

Ryan Pulock Faces Multi-Week Absence

New York Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock (upper body) will miss 2-4 weeks, the team announced Sunday. Pulock sat out his first game of the season when the Islanders hosted Edmonton on Saturday. With him out for a minimum of two weeks, the team knows it won't have Pulock in the lineup for at least five more games. Pulock has been busy on the defensive end with 23 blocks and 11 hits in 13 games. Offensively, he's done very little this season, recording one assist and no goals on eight SOG. Matthew Kessel replaced Pulock on the blue line Saturday, but he logged a quiet 14:00 of action and isn't expected to be a major factor going forward.

Nov 1

Mathew Barzal • C • Islanders

Mathew Barzal Remains Without Timetable for Return

New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal (knee) still doesn't have a timetable for his return, general manager Mathieu Darche said Wednesday. Barzal is nursing a knee injury and hasn't played this season. "We feel the inflammation is down, but we're still working with him about getting his strength back and how comfortable he feels," Darche said. "He's skating. ... We hope it's sooner, but at the end of the day, every day he's starting to skate a bit more, and we're hoping to at some point get him with the team, and then from there we go from there." With Barzal sidelined, Bo Horvat has been the Islanders' leading scorer with 10 points (five goals, five assists) in nine games.

Oct 22

Calum Ritchie • C • Islanders

Calum Ritchie to Miss 4-6 Weeks

New York Islanders forward Calum Ritchie (lower body) will be out for 4-6 weeks. The team provided an update on Ritchie Monday after he suffered a lower-body injury in Saturday's win over Toronto. Ritchie has had a limited role in New York, averaging 12:11 of ice time, but he has chipped in with a goal and an assist in eight games this season. With Matias Maccelli (lower body) also landing on the shelf, the team recalled Mitchell Chaffee from the AHL. Chaffee has been a point-per-game player in the minors. However, he's unlikely to make a significant impact in the NHL, as he's expected to enter the lineup on the fourth line in Tuesday's contest against Anaheim.

Oct 20

Matias Maccelli • LW • Islanders

Matias Maccelli Out for 2-4 Weeks

New York Islanders winger Matias Maccelli (lower body) will be sidelined for 2-4 weeks, the team announced Monday. Maccelli has been sharp early in the season, but a lower-body injury has disrupted his strong start. The Finnish forward has recorded six points (two goals, four assists) in eight games. He was on a five-game point streak before being hurt in Saturday's win over Toronto. The Islanders also lost Calum Ritchie (lower body) in the same contest, forcing head coach Peter DeBoer to make several changes against Anaheim on Tuesday night.

Oct 20

Bo Horvat • C • Islanders

Bo Horvat Available Saturday

New York Islanders center Bo Horvat (upper body) will play Saturday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Fortunately, the Islanders captain avoided a serious injury after Chicago's Frank Nazar delivered an illegal check to the head in Thursday's win. Horvat has opened the campaign with a four-game point streak and has scored in three straight games. He has also been successful in recent clashes with the Lightning, scoring in two of the last three games. On Saturday, Horvat will continue on the top line and the first power-play unit.

Oct 10

Bo Horvat • C • Islanders

Bo Horvat Suffers Injury Late in Thursday's Win

New York Islanders center Bo Horvat is being evaluated for an upper-body injury, Andrew Gross of Newsday reports. The Islanders captain took a late hit while scoring an empty-net goal in Thursday's 4-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar, who delivered the hit, received a match penalty for his actions. Horvat has been in prolific early-season form and scored twice in Thursday's win. He has found the back of the net in three straight games and is the fourth Islanders player in the past decade to start a season with a four-game point streak. Overall, Horvat has recorded five points (four goals, one assist) in four games. His absence would be a major blow to the Islanders, who have already started the season without Mathew Barzal (knee).

Oct 9

Alexander Romanov • D • Islanders

Alexander Romanov Out for 6-8 Months With Torn ACL

New York Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov (knee) is scheduled to undergo surgery to repair a torn ACL in his right knee and will likely miss the rest of the season. He has been officially ruled out for 6-8 months. Romanov injured his right knee in Tuesday's loss to the New York Rangers. Unfortunately, this is Romanov's second major injury in as many years. Last season, he skated in just 15 games due to a shoulder injury. Romanov has worked on the second defensive pairing and the second penalty-killing unit. Scott Mayfield or Matt Kessel are the options to replace him in the league, but they are irrelevant in fantasy.

Oct 7

Alexander Romanov • D • Islanders

Alexander Romanov Hurt in Battle of New York

New York Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov (undisclosed) was injured in Tuesday's loss to the New York Rangers and remains under evaluation, Stefen Rosner of NHL.com reports. Romanov left the game in the third period, logging 13:20 of ice time. The Russian blue-liner missed all but 15 games last season due to injury, so this is a concerning situation for the Islanders. Romanov is a tough defender and has recorded seven blocks and five hits in three games this season. The Islanders have Scott Mayfield and Matt Kessel as extra defensemen. One of them will jump into action on Thursday against Chicago if Romanov isn't ready to play.

Oct 7

Mathew Barzal • C • Islanders

Mathew Barzal Could Resume Skating This Weekend

New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal (knee) might be back on the ice this weekend. He is dealing with a knee issue and didn't play in Wednesday's season-opening loss to Toronto. However, Barzal is expected to return to the ice in the coming days and should then be available for selection soon. On Wednesday, Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche said Barzal would be "good to go" after only a few practices. Barzal has led his team in scoring twice in the past three years. In 2025-26, he amassed 72 points (19 goals, 53 assists) in 81 contests.

Oct 1

Mathew Barzal • C • Islanders

Mathew Barzal Could Miss Season Opener

The New York Islanders announced Wednesday that forward Mathew Barzal (undisclosed) won't be on the ice for about two weeks. Barzal has aggravated a prior injury that has caused some inflammation. The Islanders start their season on Sept. 30, two weeks from now, leaving Barzal's availability for Game 1 very much up in the air. Barzal led the Islanders with 72 points (19 goals, 53 assists) in 81 games last season. If he's unavailable, someone else on the roster will have a big opportunity to step up and make a difference in the top six and on the first power-play unit.

Sep 17

Pierre Engvall • LW • Islanders

Pierre Engvall Good to Go for 2026-27

New York Islanders left wing Pierre Engvall (ankle) is at 100 percent ahead of the new NHL campaign, Stefen Rosner of NHL.com reports. The Swedish forward missed the entire 2025-26 season due to hip and ankle issues. Even with him now available, Engvall's future with the Islanders looks uncertain. He hasn't lived up to his seven-year, $21 million contract and spent part of the 2024-25 season in the AHL after being waived. With a healthy lineup, it's hard to see where he would fit.

Sep 3

Kyle Palmieri • C • Islanders

Kyle Palmieri Looking "Great" Ahead of Training Camp

New York Islanders right wing Kyle Palmieri (knee) has fully recovered from a right ACL tear, Stefen Rosner of NHL.com reports. "Kyle Palmieri's been skating all summer. He's been here all summer," Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche said Wednesday. "He looks great, fully healthy." Palmieri injured his right knee in late November and played only 25 times in 2025-26. He tallied six goals and 12 assists. It remains to be seen how the injury affects Palmieri's performance. Before tearing his ACL, the veteran forward didn't miss a single game in back-to-back seasons, posting over 100 points.

Sep 3

Semyon Varlamov • G • Islanders

Semyon Varlamov Ready for Comeback Campaign

New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov (knee) is healthy and ready for training camp, Stefen Rosner of NHL.com reports. Varlamov has undergone two knee procedures and hasn't played since Nov. 29, 2024. "He's doing great, actually. It's almost a miracle," Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche said Wednesday. "Well, it's not a miracle because he's really put in the work. He's been back here for at least a month. He's on the ice four to five times a week, no medication, no pain, anything like that." Throughout his 18-year career, Varlamov has been a solid netminder. He will compete with Vitek Vanecek for playing opportunities in 2026-27, with Ilya Sorokin firmly holding the starting role on Long Island.

Sep 3

Alexander Romanov • D • Islanders

Alexander Romanov Healthy After Shoulder Surgery

New York Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov (shoulder) is healthy for training camp, Jon Lane of NHL.com reports. The Russian rearguard underwent shoulder surgery in November and played in only 15 games last season. But he has recovered in time for the new campaign. Romanov has averaged 1.9 blocks and 2.4 hits in his NHL career. The Islanders' defense will receive a big boost with him healthy. However, Romanov has never posted more than 22 points in a season, meaning he only has limited fantasy value.

Aug 20

Anders Lee • C • Islanders

Anders Lee Set to Hit Open Market

New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee is heading toward free agency, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reports. While the Islanders want to keep their captain, talks over a new contract haven't progressed. Lee, who has spent his entire 14-year NHL career with the Islanders, is coming off a seven-year, $49 million contract. His production has declined with age, but Lee managed a respectable 42 points (19 goals, 23 assists) in 82 games this season. Lee will turn 36 in a month, but he still appears to have some gas left and could attract plenty of interest in the open market.

Jun 4

Matthew Schaefer • D • Islanders

Matthew Schaefer Wins Calder Trophy

New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer was named the 2025-26 Calder Trophy winner as the NHL's best rookie on Wednesday. The 18-year-old from Hamilton, Ontario, became the first defenseman in NHL history to be the unanimous Rookie of the Year. Schaefer set many records during his maiden campaign, finishing with 59 points (23 goals, 36 assists) in 82 games. He's only the fourth defenseman to lead rookies in goals. Overall, he finished third in scoring among first-year players. Schaefer made a huge impact during his rookie campaign, and it's scary to think about what he will be capable of with more experience.

May 13

Ryan Pulock • D • Islanders

Ryan Pulock Unavailable for Season Finale

New York Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock (undisclosed) will miss Tuesday's season finale against the Carolina Hurricanes. The team announced that Pulock has recently played through several injuries. With the team now out of the playoff race, Pulock can drop out of the lineup to focus on his health. The 31-year-old will finish the campaign with 27 points (three goals, 24 assists) in 76 outings, marking his best offensive return in six seasons. Defensively, he contributed a team-high 147 blocks. Isaiah George will replace Pulock on defense, making his fourth appearance of the season.

Apr 14

Tony DeAngelo • D • Islanders

Tony DeAngelo Expected to Return Thursday

New York Islanders defenseman Tony DeAngelo (lower body) is expected to be available on Thursday against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Rachel Luscher of the Islanders' official site reports. He has missed six games due to a lower-body injury but returned to practice on Wednesday, skating with Adam Pelech. The Islanders' playoff hopes are hanging by a thread, and DeAngelo's creative spark could help the team end a four-game skid. He is third on the team with 28 assists and has collected 33 points in 72 appearances. DeAngelo has recorded an assist in both of his encounters with the Maple Leafs this season.

Apr 8

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