The Islanders are heading into Thursday night’s home game against the Chicago Blackhawks with a patched-together blue line, and the morning skate offered a first look at how they may try to cover for Alexander Romanov’s absence.
Romanov was forced out of Tuesday’s 5-2 loss to the New York Rangers, and the injury news that followed made the situation even tougher for New York. He has since been diagnosed with a torn ACL and is expected to miss 6-8 months. That leaves the Islanders without a second-pair defenseman who had been playing an important early-season role.
At morning skate, Andrew Gross reported the projected defensive alignment, and the setup pointed to Scott Mayfield stepping into the mix. The 33-year-old has seen a smaller role in recent seasons, but his experience makes him the likely choice to help absorb Romanov’s minutes for now.
The most notable wrinkle was on the top pair, where Matthew Schaefer stayed on the right side with Logan Stanley. Shifting Schaefer to the left after Romanov’s injury had been a possibility, but that wasn’t the route the Islanders appeared to take.
The second pair brought Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock back together. That combination is a familiar one, and it gives New York a look it has leaned on plenty in the past.
Mayfield was listed on the third pair with Tony DeAngelo, an alignment that stands out because both shoot right. Still, that appears to be the look Peter DeBoer is willing to try first.
The full morning skate picture also included the extra defensemen and goaltenders: MacLean, Stanley, Schaefer, Pelech, Pulock, DeAngelo, Mayfield, Kessel, Sorokin in the starter’s net, and Varlamov.
The Islanders are trying to get back in the win column after the loss to the Rangers, and Thursday’s game will be a first test for how quickly these new pairings can settle in without Romanov.
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The more immediate concern is on the blue line, where Alexander Romanovs knee injury has already thinned the defense. With Romanov sidelined long term, Scott Mayfield is expected to step into the lineup, and the Islanders will have to lean on that adjustment while Barzals recovery continues to be tracked day by day. [Read more 🡒]