Injuries Hit the Islanders Early

It looks like injuries are starting to take a toll on the Islanders.

Captain Anders Lee is set to miss one to two weeks due to an upper-body injury, as announced on Wednesday. He didn’t participate in practice, prompting the update.

Coach Patrick Roy mentioned that Lee is scheduled to skate on Thursday but characterized the timeline for his return as a precaution. So, thankfully, it seems there’s no major concern regarding his availability for the regular season.

Lee sustained his injury during the preseason opener when he tripped on the boards last Sunday.

Additionally, Max Tseplakov missed practice for what the team termed maintenance but skated individually. Roy noted he wouldn’t be back with the team on Thursday and was considered day-to-day.

This situation isn’t ideal, particularly as other players like Semion Varlamov and Pierre Engvall have also been sidelined during camp. It’s a bit concerning, really.

Engvall is expected to get back on the ice within two to three weeks, which coincides with the start of the regular season.

Roy expressed some optimism about Engvall’s progress, saying, “To be honest, I think it’s fine. I think he’s doing good, so I know.” But one wonders if that’s just coach-speak.

In Lee’s absence, Emil Heinemann has taken his spot alongside Matt Balzar at practice. Meanwhile, Kyle MacLean and Mark Gatcom filled in around Casey Sidicus in what used to be the fourth line with Heinemann and Tseplakov.

As for Varlamov, the Islanders haven’t disclosed a timeline for his return yet. It looks like David Littic will likely be the backup for Ilya Sorokin when the regular season kicks off. Interestingly, Varlamov has been spotted skating on his own, but when asked if he would be rejoining the team, Roy simply responded with a firm “no.”