Andrew Gross: Casey Cizikas' march toward 1,000 career games with Islanders a family effort

 ANAHEIM, Calif. — Casey Cizikas knows that reaching the 1,000-game milestone, which he is expected to do on Nov. 21 in Detroit, is a family achievement.

The 35-year-old fourth-liner is keenly aware of the sacrifices those closest to him have made to help him reach the NHL and keep him there for 16 seasons — all with the Islanders.

“I’ve been very fortunate to be in the position that I’m in,” Cizikas told Newsday before playing in Game No. 997 on Saturday night against the Ducks at Honda Center. “For me to continue to do that, there’s a certain style that I have to play and have to continue playing. It’ll definitely be a milestone that I’m extremely proud of.”

Cizikas will be the fourth Islander to achieve the milestone, joining Bryan Trottier (1,123), Denis Potvin (1,060) and Josh Bailey (1,057).

The 5-11, 190-pound Cizikas’ game is predicated on forechecking, physicality and bringing energy. It puts a definite stress on his body that, as he’s aged, means more time at the rink for recovery. That can lead to less time with his wife, Kristy, whom he met in ninth grade back home just outside Toronto and married in 2017, and their three children.

Before that, it was his parents and siblings making sure he got to his games, no matter the start time.

“They’re excited and they’ve all sacrificed a lot,” Cizikas said. “Not a day goes by that I’m not grateful for what everyone else has done. It’s tough to say, but as a professional player, you almost have to be selfish in certain ways in preparing for games and getting your body right. Doing whatever you have to do, whether you’re spending more time at the rink because you have nagging injuries and you’ve got to get there early and you have to stay there late. The family kind of revolves around that.”

So it was no surprise that when Newsday asked Pete DeBoer what immediately comes to mind when he thinks about Cizikas, the coach mentioned family.

“You know what I like about Casey is when I watch him not as a hockey player but as a dad,” DeBoer said. “We’ve had multiple off days where I’ll go down to the rink and think I’m by myself and I’ll pop my head out and he’ll be out there with his son, skating around or working with his kid. I always enjoy seeing that side of players.”

Cizikas entered Saturday’s game with one goal and two assists in 18 games. He’s in the final season of a six-year, $15 million deal that does not carry any trade protection. It’s unclear whether he fits into general manager Mathieu Darche’s plans beyond this season; if he doesn’t, that would make him a likely trade rental target before the March 1 deadline.

It’s part of the business. Other longtime Islanders have departed or retired in recent seasons, including Bailey, Brock Nelson, Cal Clutterbuck, Matt Martin and former captain Anders Lee. For now, his teammates are just thrilled for Cizikas to reach this milestone in an Islanders jersey.

“It’s great,” linemate Kyle MacLean told Newsday. “It’s been awesome to be able to play with him. I said it when I played with Cal and Marty [Martin] and obviously Zeeker, just the way those guys played for that many games, when you’re a player, you really appreciate it. Zeeker is the type of guy that doesn’t take a night off. He’s going full tilt. It’s awesome that he did it as an Islander.”

“Everybody is just so happy for him,” Bo Horvat told Newsday. “You see what he’s meant to this team, the organization, the fans. To see what he puts in, the work he puts in every single day to get to this point, it’s impressive.”

Or as defenseman Adam Pelech said, “He’s the best. He’s a great teammate. I’m looking forward to celebrating it.”

MacLean’s souvenir

Fourth-liner Kyle MacLean’s reward for being a stand-up guy was taking a seat.

He sported a purple shiner and his right eye was swollen after a fight with the Sharks’ Ty Dellandrea while linemate Mitchell Chaffee was fighting Barclay Goodrow on the other side of the ice in Monday night’s 3-2, eight-round shootout loss. MacLean was a healthy scratch in Thursday night’s 5-2 win in Los Angeles.

The fight stemmed from MacLean’s hard check on Ivar Stenberg in the neutral zone.

“I just threw that hit and then Dellandrea grabbed me and he asked in that scrum to go at the next whistle,” MacLean told Newsday. “Nothing much to it. He was just standing up for his guy. I looked over and Chaffee was going, too. I didn’t know he was going, but that was good on him.”

It was MacLean’s first fight of the season — and the fifth of his career, according to HockeyFights.com — and the team’s first double fight. It was Chaffee’s first fight as an Islander and also the fifth of his NHL career, according to the website.

Back on the ice

Cal Ritchie, out since Oct. 17 with a lower-body injury and expected to miss four to six weeks, has resumed skating on his own, which he did this past week on Long Island.

Ritchie, 21, in his second season with the Islanders, was centering the second line and had a goal and an assist in eight games when he was hurt on his first shift in Toronto as defenseman Nick Blankenburg made contact with his left leg.

By Andrew Gross

andrew.gross@newsday.comAGrossNewsday

Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.