Islanders Injured Trio Nears Return to Active Roster
Coach Pete DeBoer confirms Mathew Barzal, Ryan Pulock, and Matias Maccelli are expected to join full-contact practice in California within days.
By Natalia Costa ·
Three New York Islanders players who have missed time due to injury are on track to return to full contact practice during the team's current trip to California. The group includes Mathew Barzal, Ryan Pulock, and Matias Maccelli, all of whom were included on the roster for the road swing despite missing recent games.
Head coach Pete DeBoer stated that the team brought the three players along because there is a realistic chance they will play during this week. He noted that while their return is not guaranteed, their presence allows them to reintegrate with the group. DeBoer explained that the team felt they had a better opportunity to work with the injured players while they were together on the road. The immediate goal for all three is to engage in physical contact and observe how their bodies respond to the strain.
The players are at different stages of recovery. Pulock participated in full contact during Monday's morning skate. Barzal and Maccelli wore red non-contact jerseys, indicating they have not yet rejoined full-contact drills. DeBoer pointed to Pulock's participation as a sign that he is closer to returning to game action. The plan for Monday was for all three to do extra work after the morning skate to test their readiness.
Barzal has not played this season due to inflammation around a left kneecap injury sustained two seasons ago. Pulock is managing an upper-body injury, while Maccelli is dealing with a lower-body issue. The timeline for their returns aligns with initial medical estimates. Thursday's game in Los Angeles against the Kings will mark two weeks since Pulock was injured, fitting within his 2 to 4 week recovery window. It will also be near the end of Maccelli's 2 to 4 week period following his exit from the October 17 game in Toronto.
The Islanders face the San Jose Sharks on Monday, a game they won 3-2 in a shootout. The team then travels to Los Angeles for Thursday's matchup with the Kings. In between, the squad will hold one practice session. Another forward, Calum Ritchie, is not part of this trip. He is recovering from an injury sustained in the same win over Toronto and was given a 4 to 6 week timeline for recovery.
The coaching staff kept the forward lines intact from Saturday's game. Simon Holmstrom skates on the top line with Bo Hovat and Kyle Palmieri. Emil Heineman plays on the second line with Brayden Schenn and Victor Eklund. Ondrej Palat is paired with Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Anthony Duclair on the third line. The defensive pairing saw Adam Pelech move to the top pair with Matthew Schaefer. Logan Stanley plays the second pair with Tony DeAngelo, while Ben Hutton and Matt Kessel remain the third pair.
The Islanders entered Monday's game with a strong recent record against San Jose. They had won five consecutive games against the Sharks and had not suffered a regulation loss in 12 games against the team.
