ST. LOUIS — The Islanders did not practice Wednesday, so the official update on Casey Cizikas’ status after the center took Erik Karlsson’s shot out of his hands early in the third period Tuesday night There was no.
However, the breakdown of calling up Kyle MacLean from AHL Bridgeport and placing Hudson Fassing on long-term injured reserve heavily points to Cizikas missing Thursday’s game against the Blues.
Coach McClain had Cizikas in the lineup already this season, and he had success in seven games after being removed from the lineup in mid-January with a lower-body injury.
By moving Fassing to LTIR retroactively on Jan. 25, the Islanders were able to maintain flexibility and free up a roster spot for McLean.
Since being retroactively moved, Fassing has already missed seven of the 10 games required before being sent off LTIR, and the mandatory 24-day period has passed. He did not participate in the trips to Pittsburgh and St. Louis because he was sick in addition to lower-body issues, but he had been practicing with the team recently. The earliest he can play is next Thursday against the Red Wings.
Barring Cizikas being out long-term, this was the path of least resistance for the Islanders to add a new center to their roster. This was inevitable after former coach Lane Lambert experimented with splitting Bo Horvat and Matt Barzal the last time Cizikas was injured. Lambert was fired soon after and things didn’t go well.
New coach Patrick Roy had high praise for MacLean, who scored his first NHL goal in Toronto before Cizikas returned to the lineup and was sent back to Bridgeport.
The Penguins are questionable for Thursday vs. the Stars. Charles LeClair / USA TODAY Sports
“I think he has a future with us,” Roy said. “There’s no doubt in my mind. It’s up to the organization to decide when he’s ready or not, but I think he has a future with our team.
“He played really well. I felt like he was a very reliable player and he played really well defensively.”
Zachary Bolduc, who played two seasons with the Royce Quebec Remparts from 2021-2023, will make his NHL debut with the Blues on Thursday night against the Islanders.
St. Louis coach Drew Bannister told reporters Wednesday that Scott Perunovich will be ruled out during the game due to a lower-body injury.
