Overview
- Romanov suffered a torn right ACL during Tuesday’s game at Madison Square Garden after a collision with Mika Zibanejad and left in the third period.
- The Islanders announced he will undergo surgery and be sidelined roughly six to eight months, making an earliest realistic return around April and a playoff comeback dependent on recovery pace.
- The team plans to place Romanov on long-term injured reserve, which under current calculations will reduce his $6.25 million cap charge so only about $2.277 million counts against the payroll this season.
- New York must reshuffle its left-side defense immediately with options including moving Matthew Schaefer back to the left, inserting veterans Scott Mayfield or Matthew Kessel, or recalling prospects such as Isaiah George or Kashawn Aitcheson from AHL Hamilton.
- This is Romanov’s second major injury in consecutive seasons and his eight-year, $50 million contract with a full no-trade clause activating July 1, 2027 raises hard questions about his tradeability and the Islanders’ longer-term roster planning.