Visnovsky, Okposo join expanding Islanders' injured list
Kyle Okposo of the Islanders skates in the first period against the Carolina Hurricanes at Nassau Coliseum. (Jan. 4, 2013) Credit: Jim McIsaac
Add two more veterans to the list of injured Islanders.
Lubomir Visnovsky has an upper-body injury, suffered in Tuesday's 6-0 loss to the Wild. He sat out Friday's practice, is unlikely to play on Sunday against Columbus and could miss some time going forward -- of course, "some time" is relative, given the Islanders have 12 games left and are playing out the string.
Kyle Okposo left practice with a lower-body injury and Jack Capuano had no time frame for his leading scorer. Asked if the Isles need to be cautious with anyone injured now in the lame-duck segment of the season, Capuano sighed. "I suppose we do," he said.
"It takes me longer to read the injury report now than anything else," he said. "It's extremely frustrating."
Brian Strait (broken hand) and Michael Grabner (concussion) are out indefinitely. John Tavares (torn MCL) is out for the season. As Matt Martin noted, it's not as if the Islanders were going gangbusters when everyone was healthy, but it still seems to be a bit demoralizing to lose so many regulars.
If Okposo can't go on Sunday and Visnovsky stays on target to miss that game, the Islanders will dress only 10 of the 20 players who played in the season opener in Newark.
The Islanders' forward depth is pretty much depleted at Bridgeport. About the only real prospect still down there is John Persson, a sturdily-built wing; he may get a call up if Okposo can't play, given that the Islanders have been going with 12 forwards since Thomas Vanek was traded on March 5.
Persson, 21, was a 2011 fifth-round pick and has 12 goals in 41 games for the Sound Tigers.
Big defenseman Scott Mayfield may be next in line for a recall with Visnovsky and Strait out. Mayfield would be the fifth rookie defenseman to dress for the Islanders this season if he comes up.
The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Mayfield, the Isles' second-round pick in 2011, is the only Sound Tiger to have played all 63 games this season, with three goals and 14 assists.
