EDMONTON, Alberta — The excellent news for the Islanders is that Alexander Romanov returned to follow Monday, a optimistic signal that the defenseman shall be again from an upper-body harm sooner reasonably than later.
The unhealthy information is that his return won’t are available time for Tuesday night time’s match towards the Oilers, when the Islanders might want to discover a method to decelerate the mixture of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl with a defensive corps that’s nonetheless down half its opening night time lineup.
“100 percent not tomorrow,” Romanov instructed The Publish after the Islanders practiced in Edmonton on Monday. “I can’t really predict [a timeline] because if I would say, I don’t want to be wrong.”
It’s excellent news Romanov, who donned an orange non-contact sweater in follow, traveled with the crew to Alberta, which might imply a return is within the playing cards in some unspecified time in the future over a five-game journey that may see the Islanders cross the U.S.-Canada border 4 occasions earlier than they return house per week from Friday.
“It depends on my feelings [pain tolerance] and if the doctors will allow me to play or not,” Romanov stated. “It takes time. This injury takes time.”
The priority for Tuesday is how the Islanders will deal with the matchups with McDavid and Draisaitl and whether or not the 20-year-old Isaiah George — who has been nothing wanting spectacular by means of his first three NHL video games — can deal with what would be the hardest take a look at thrown at him but.
“You don’t want them to skate with the puck,” coach Patrick Roy stated. “It’s like [Nathan] MacKinnon, the top players, like [Jack] Hughes. More they gonna have room, the more dangerous they become, and we’re gonna have to be very good in the neutral zone, and we’re gonna have to be good in our D-zone. They love to possess the puck, and we’re gonna have to do a good job.”
Since getting back from his stint in AHL Bridgeport, Pierre Engvall has continued to don a neck guard — which is necessary for all AHLers — making him the primary Islander to take action in video games.
“I don’t mind it,” Engvall instructed The Publish. “I feel like if you got a little extra protection, I think that’s better than to not have it. I don’t get disturbed by it. Feels pretty good to have it.”
Ilya Sorokin was the primary goalie off the ice at Monday’s follow, indicating a possible begin Tuesday night time.
