The New York Islanders suffered a big blow during Tuesday's win over the Dallas Stars. Defenseman Alexander Romanov was placed on IR with an upper-body injury after being hit from behind by Mikko Rantanen during the final minute of play. Although Romanov has struggled to start the season, things seemed to be trending in the right direction. He registered his first point of the season with an assist in the Islanders' win over the Mammoth. It seemed like the 25-year-old was returning to his 2024-25 form.
However, the Romanov injury creates an opportunity for another young Islanders defenseman.