The Islanders’ early-season problems just got a lot bigger.
Defenseman Alexander Romanov is facing a long absence after the team announced Wednesday that he suffered a torn ACL in his right knee and will need surgery. The expected recovery window is 6-8 months, which puts his return anywhere from March to May - and leaves open the possibility that he could miss the rest of the season.
Romanov was hurt in Tuesday night’s game against the Rangers, leaving the 5-2 loss and not coming back. What looked like a routine play ended up carrying a much harsher outcome for New York.
For an Islanders team that already needs help around Matthew Schaefer, this is a tough blow. Romanov has been one of the club’s most dependable defensemen since arriving in New York in 2022, and now the Islanders have to replace him for the second straight season.
This latest setback comes after Romanov was limited to 15 games last year because of a shoulder injury that required surgery in November. That recovery wiped out most of his season, and now another major injury has put him on the shelf again.
Romanov’s production has been steady when healthy. In his first three seasons with the Islanders, he cleared the 20-point mark each year, including 22 points in both 2022-23 and 2023-24. Last season, he had 20 points in 64 games before the shoulder injury ended his year early.
His career line, as listed by the team, shows the kind of work he’s put in over the years:
2020-21 Canadiens: 54 games, 1 goal, 5 assists, 6 points, plus-1
2021-22 Canadiens: 79 games, 3 goals, 10 assists, 13 points, minus-9
2022-23 Islanders: 76 games, 2 goals, 20 assists, 22 points, plus-13
2023-24 Islanders: 81 games, 7 goals, 15 assists, 22 points, plus-23
2024-25 Islanders: 64 games, 4 goals, 16 assists, 20 points, plus-5
2025-26 Islanders: 15 games, 0 goals, 1 assist, 1 point, minus-7
2026-27 Islanders: 3 games, 0 goals, 0 assists, 0 points, plus-2
Now the Islanders are left waiting on a key piece of their blue line, with a recovery timeline that could stretch deep into the spring.
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