Prognosis for Islanders' injured players remains uncertain
Adam Pelech #3 of the Islanders looks on after an injury during the third period against the St. Louis Blues at UBS Arena on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022 in Elmont. Credit: Jim McIsaac
The Islanders won’t classify any of their injured players as being out long term, instead listing their missing six as day-to-day.
Still, coach Lane Lambert announced before Thursday night’s 2-1 win over the Blue Jackets at UBS Arena that defenseman Adam Pelech (injured reserve/suspected head injury) and forwards Oliver Wahlstrom (unspecified) and Simon Holmstrom (left leg) will not accompany the team on its upcoming trip to Seattle, Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary.
That means Pelech, who missed his 10th game on Thursday and has yet to resume skating, will miss at least a month.
Lambert did announce that right wings Kyle Palmieri (injured reserve/upper body) and Cal Clutterbuck (injured reserve/upper body) and goalie Semyon Varlamov (injured reserve/lower body) will make the trip. Those three have resumed skating and presumably will rejoin the team for at least practices on the road.
Lambert said it had yet to be determined if third goalie Cory Schneider will travel with the team after serving as Ilya Sorokin’s backup in Varlamov’s absence.
The Islanders will open the western swing against the Kraken on Sunday.
Palmieri missed his sixth game on Thursday and his 16th of the last 17. Clutterbuck also missed his sixth game and Varlamov was sidelined for the fifth game.
Wahlstrom was helped off the ice after his first shift in Tuesday’s 5-1 win over the Penguins after taking a retaliatory hit from defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph. Holmstrom was injured in a knee-to-knee collision with Sam Bennett in this past Friday’s 5-1 win over the Panthers.
Notes & quotes: Casey Cizikas logged 16:24 with three shots in his 700th NHL regular- season game . . . Barzal’s goal gave him at least one point in each of his last nine games against the Blue Jackets . . . The Islanders won 39 of 62 faceoffs (63%). Cizikas won 12 of 15 (80%).
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.
