Overview
- The Islanders announced Wednesday that Barzal will not skate for two weeks because of an aggravation of a prior injury that has caused inflammation.
- The team said Barzal is actively rehabbing and expects him to return to the lineup as soon as he is medically cleared.
- The timeline means he is almost certain to miss the condensed preseason schedule and very likely to be unavailable for the Sept. 30 opener in Toronto.
- Barzal has been managing lingering problems from a February 2025 injury that ended his season then and led Hockey Canada to hold him out of the 2026 world championships as a precaution.
- Barzal led the Islanders with 72 points last season, so his absence shifts lineup roles toward veterans such as Brayden Schenn and increases pressure on stars like Ilya Sorokin as the team pursues a return to the playoffs.