The Islanders moved winger Hudson Fasching to injured reserve on Friday, per The Hockey News’ Stefen Rosner. His roster spot goes to forward Marc Gatcomb, who comes up from AHL Bridgeport for the second time this week and will suit up in his second career NHL game Saturday against the Sharks.
Fasching, 29, has already missed four games with an upper-body injury, so he can come off IR at any time. He isn’t expected back until late next week, general manager Lou Lamoriello said.
The move keeps their already-open active roster spot open while still getting Gatcomb on the roster. They’ll need that additional roster spot for another forward recall if winger Maxim Tsyplakov, who earned a hearing Friday for an illegal check to the head against the Flyers’ Ryan Poehling in last night’s loss, gets a suspension as a result of his actions as well. The open spot could also go to winger Simon Holmström, who’s on IR and has missed seven games with an upper-body injury but was a full participant in practice Friday, per Rosner.
Fasching has been a non-factor with no points and a minus-six rating in 19 appearances this season. The Islanders waived the Wisconsin native to begin the season but recalled him from Bridgeport in late October after an injury to Anthony Duclair, and he’s managed to stay on the roster since with continuing injuries creating the need for an extra forward.
Now in his third season on Long Island, Fasching is averaging a career-low 8:56 per game, second-lowest on the team among qualified skaters ahead of Matt Martin. He’s in the back half of a two-year, one-way extension he signed after a 2022-23 campaign where he recorded a career-high 10 goals and 19 points in 49 games with a +10 rating.
Gatcomb, 25, made his NHL debut in Tuesday’s shutout loss to the Sens, skating 7:27 in place of the sick Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Pageau is back, but Gatcomb projects to enter the lineup to give veteran enforcer Martin a night off against San Jose. He has 17 points in 35 games for Bridgeport this season, his first in the Islanders organization after landing a two-way deal in free agency.