NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Islanders Adjust Plans for Bo Horvat

The Islanders have decided not to send Bo Horvat on their current seven-game road trip that kicked off in Nashville. Instead, they’ll keep him in New York for better management of his lower-body injury, according to general manager Mathieu Darche. This update came right before the Islanders faced the Predators, where they lost 2-1 in a shootout.

Darche doesn’t see this as a setback for Horvat. There’s still a possibility he could join the team later in the trip or even play before it wraps up.

“I have high hopes for him,” Darche mentioned about Horvat, who is set to represent Team Canada in Milan. “If he doesn’t make it back by then, it’s not the end of the world. If he does, great for us. We just want to be careful to avoid any further complications.”

Darche added that if Horvat were to join the Islanders, it would likely happen later in the trip. He explained that Horvat’s current issue, seemingly related to his left flank, shares resemblance to the injury that sidelined him for five games in December. He had just returned before facing another setback on New Year’s Day.

“Our doctors think that’s probably what occurred,” he continued. “He didn’t rush back too soon. It was only his fourth game back. Unfortunately, it’s just bad luck that it’s the same area that got injured again.”

On another note, Bridgeport defenseman Isaiah George, who has also been nursing a lower-body injury, is expected to be ready to play this weekend.

Meanwhile, Alexander Romanov with his right shoulder injury has not started skating alone yet, but progress is being made. “It’s going really, really well,” Darche reported, suggesting Romanov might return in time for the playoffs.

The timeline for Semyon Varlamov’s return from his knee injury remains uncertain. Varlamov has been practicing solo and has begun to take more stances, but, according to Darche, he hasn’t integrated playing into his routine yet.

“His situation doesn’t affect how I manage David,” referring to Rittich. “Right now, we can’t rely on Varlamov,” he added.

As for Rittich, he started in goal against the Predators. Coach Patrick Roy explained that they opted to have Rittich play before Ilya Sorokin, who returned from injury after a 44-save shutout, faced the pressure right away.