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New York Islanders Reassign Marshall Warren

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According to a team announcement, the New York Islanders have assigned defenseman Marshall Warren to the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders. Without a corresponding roster move, the Islanders are down to six defensemen on the active roster.

Warren, 24, was recalled for the injured blueliner Alexander Romanov. Due to a scary collision with Mikko Rantanen in New York’s recent game against the Dallas Stars, Romanov will miss the next five to six months after shoulder surgery.

The former sixth-round pick of the Minnesota Wild has quickly become the first man up for the Islanders on defense. It’s somewhat surprising given that Warren was relatively disappointing with AHL Bridgeport last season, scoring four goals and 17 points in 53 games with a -7 rating.

However, he’s performed much better this season. Despite only playing in 10 games due to the two NHL callups, Warren remains second on the team in scoring among defensemen with two goals and nine points.

Unfortunately, Warren didn’t get any playing time with New York during his most recent call-up. It’s fairly surprising given his play from earlier in the season, but the team opted for Adam Boqvist nonetheless. During his first recall in late October, Warren registered two assists in two games with a 91.7% on-ice save percentage at even strength.

Injury Notes: Lindholm, McAvoy, Pageau, Dickinson

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The Boston Bruins shared updates on two key players ahead of tonight’s game in San Jose: Elias Lindholm has been activated, while Charlie McAvoy was placed on injured reserve in a corresponding move. 

Lindholm suffered a lower-body injury in late October, after a knee-on-knee collision with Jordan Greenway and has been absent since. His first season in Boston left some to be desired considering the $7.75MM cap hit, scoring 47 points, but Lindholm was off to a better start in 2025-26 overall, posting nine points in 13 games. Now, the veteran will be a welcome addition back to the lineup given the club’s current hot streak, as they march forward without McAvoy for the time being. 

As was noted yesterday, McAvoy underwent facial surgery after catching a puck to the face in a scary incident against Montreal on November 15th. His placement on IR is no surprise, and all things considered, it is not a terrible outcome in what could have been much worse. Boston will sorely miss their top defenseman, but the hope is that he will be back in time for the Olympics next February, if not sooner, depending on recovery. 

Elsewhere across the league:

  • After already losing Alexander Romanov long-term, the hits keep coming as the Islanders shared that forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau is week-to-week with an upper body injury. The news comes as a surprise as the veteran center played through yesterday’s game with no visible ailment. Pageau is a highly dependable all-around third line center, and a pending free agent at 33, it had been speculated that he could be a trade candidate at some point. However, given the Islanders impressive start it seems any such talks are off for the time being. Now, as they’ll move forward without a top defenseman and a key center, New York faces a huge test to close out 2025. 20-year-old Calum Ritchie will have an opportunity to step up, and his performance without Pageau may dictate the team’s direction later in the season. 
  • The Chicago Blackhawks announced Jason Dickinson has been activated off injured reserve. The veteran forward has missed all of November with an apparent upper-body injury. Dickinson had three points in eight games before going down, his Blackhawks tenure proving to be a nice example of a cap dump win. The Ontario native came to Chicago in 2022 along with a second round pick sweetener, and immediately has been a key presence in their lineup. His career high 22 goals in 2023-24 earned an extension at $4.25MM which comes in on the high end considering current production, but Dickinson remains a leader for the group with his reliable two-way game.

Alexander Romanov To Miss 5-6 Months, Will Have Shoulder Surgery

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The New York Islanders announced the fate of Alexander Romanov this afternoon after a scary hit into the boards from Mikko Rantanen last Tuesday. The defenseman will have shoulder surgery and will be out 5-6 months. Based on the timeline, any return by season’s end would be favorable.

While the 25-year-old does not jump out on the stat sheet most games, Romanov brings a very steady defense-first game, usually playing north of 20 minutes a night, which earned him an eight-year deal last summer worth $6.25MM per season.

With the Islanders exceeding expectations greatly so far this season, on a nice 6-3-1 streak in their last ten games, good for third place in the Metropolitan, it is devastating news. New York has a steady core of veterans on the backend, along with the emergence of young superstar Matthew Schaefer who remarkably is already a major minute-eater at 18-years-old, but Romanov’s stay-at-home play will be difficult to replace. The team recalled Marshall Warren earlier in the week with Romanov landing on IR, but the hope then was certainly that Romanov’s season would not be in jeopardy.

New York hosts Seattle this evening, and eyes will be on GM Mathieu Darche if he is to make an addition at some point to fill for Romanov’s void. With Pavel Mintyukov’s name floating around lately, such a move could allow the Islanders to maintain their momentum while simultaneously getting younger on the back end. Regardless, it will be critical to protect Schaefer and continue to keep him in the right situations. For now, losing Romanov is an especially tough blow from an avoidable hit which immediately caught the attention of the league.

Islanders Place Alexander Romanov On IR, Recall Marshall Warren

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The New York Islanders announced that they’ve placed defenseman Alexander Romanov on the injured reserve with an upper-body injury. Additionally, Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News reports that the Islanders have recalled Marshall Warren in a corresponding roster move.

Upper-body injuries are becoming a significant theme for Romanov. The 25-year-old blueliner missed 18 games due to upper-body ailments last season, and has already missed five this year for the same reason. It’s the second time that Romanov has been placed on the IR already in the current campaign.

It’s coming on the heels of a healthy long-term commitment made by the Islanders this past summer. In one of his first moves as New York’s General Manager, Mathieu Darche signed Romanov to an eight-year, $50MM contract, keeping him with the Islanders through the 2032-33 NHL season. If these upper-body injuries continue to plague Romanov, he won’t be available enough to warrant that contract.

Additionally, it’s led to some poor play on the ice when healthy. In the 15 games he’s appeared in this season, Romanov has tallied one assist while averaging 19:27 of ice time per night with a -7 rating. Furthermore, his 42.9% CorsiFor% at even strength and 89.2% on-ice save percentage at even strength are each the lowest marks of his career.

Regardless, Romanov’s injury designation affords another opportunity for Warren. The former sixth-round pick of the Minnesota Wild has already skated in two games for the Islanders this season, registering two assists.

It’ll be interesting to see if New York gives Warren a longer stay in the NHL should he continue his upward development. The main reason he’s earned the recall, as opposed to other options, is from his excellent play with the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders this season. The 24-year-old defenseman has scored two goals and nine points in 10 AHL contests to start the 2025-26 season.

Metropolitan Notes: Holmström, Jarry, St. Ivany

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New York Islanders forward Simon Holmström will be a game-time decision for Tuesday’s game against the Dallas Stars due to an illness. He would leave a notable hole in the Islanders lineup if he can’t take the ice. Holmström is one of eight Islanders forwards to play in all 19 games this season. He has four goals and nine points in those appearances – ranking him seventh on the team in goals and ninth in points.

Holmström’s scoring hasn’t taken off yet this season, but his lineup role has grown over the year nonetheless. He averaged over 18 minutes in ice time over New York’s recent four-game winnning streak, helped along by three of those games going into overtime. Holmström’s growing role is largely thanks to his impact away from the puck. He leads the team’s forwards with 22 blocked shots, and ranks fifth in takeaways with four. He’s shown a nice bit of well-roundedness after scoring 20 goals and 45 points in 75 games last season. The Islanders will hope to continue getting that toolsy impact on Tuesday. If Holmström can’t play, the team will likely turn towards Kyle MacLean, who has one assist in 10 appearances this season.

Other notes from the Metropolitan Division:

  • Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry returned to the team’s practices on Tuesday per Seth Rorabaugh of Tribune-Review Sports. Jarry hasn’t played since sustaining a lower-body injury on November 3rd. He was off to an impressive start before the two-week absence, recording a .911 save percentage and five wins through seven starts. 21-year-old Sergey Murashov has emerged as an interesting piece in Jarry’s absence. He posted his first career win – a shutout – in Pittsburgh’s NHL Global Series matchup against the Nashville Predators on Sunday. Pittsburgh is unlikely to let a rookie goaltender usurp their veteran starter, but Jarry’s return could push Murashov into a competition for the backup role with Arturs Silovs, who has a .918 save percentage and four wins in 10 games.
  • Penguins defenseman Jack St. Ivany also returned to practice donning a no-contact jersey on Tuesday, per Rorabaugh. St. Ivany sustained an injury to his right foot in a preseason matchup on October 1st. He was originally designated to the non-roster injured list, meaning Pittsburgh will need to clear a roster spot to activate him from season-opening injured reserve – as they will when they activate Jarry. St. Ivany split last season between the NHL and AHL rosters. He scored one assist in 19 games with Pittsburgh, and 16 points in 37 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. That deployment could make him a prime candidate for an AHL conditioning loan, or even an AHL assignment, once he’s back to full health.

Islanders Notes: Shabanov, Drouin, Schaefer

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The New York Islanders will see the return of NHL rookie Max Shabanov in Sunday’s matchup against the Colorado Avalanche, per Ethan Sears of The New York Post. Shabanov has missed the last three weeks with an upper-body injury. Sears adds that the injury was sustained in New York’s October 18th matchup against the Ottawa Senators, and that he tried to tough it out for one game before stepping out of the lineup.

Shabanov managed three points in his first six NHL games prior to the injury. He added a minus-three, five hits, and eight shots on goal to that scoring. He’s been a productive addition, who could only heat up with a return to the lineup. Shabanov scored 33 goals and 87 points in 76 KHL games last season.

Compatriot Maxim Tsyplakov will step out of the lineup to make room for Shabanov. Tsyplakov has one goal and a minus-seven through 12 games this season. It’s a far fall from the 35-point season he posted as an NHL rookie last season. He’ll get a chance to recenter from the press box, while Shabanov looks to maintain his strong scoring.

Other notes out of the Islanders/Colorado matchup:

  • Winger Jonathan Drouin spoke with reporters about his move from the Avalanche to the Islanders ahead of Sunday’s matchup. He shared that he was disappointed with not having the chance to re-sign in Colorado, and that he would have been open to spending the rest of his career with the Avalanche, per Jesse Montano of Guerilla Sports. Drouin found a true resurgance with the Avalanche, potting 56 points in 79 games of the 2023-24 season after not scoring more than 30 through the prior four seasons. He followed that with 37 points in 43 games last season, though his year was derailed by injuries. Drouin has stayed incredibly productive in New York, netting 14 points in 17 games, good for fourth on the team in scoring. He’ll look to prove his scoring prowess against the Avalanche this afternoon.
  • Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar was asked about the similarities between superstar Cale Makar and emerging rookie Matthew Schaefer by Evan Rawal of the Denver Gazette. He agreed the duo are worth comparing, and praised Schaefer’s ability to get involved with play, closing with “He’s gonna be a real good one”. Schaefer leads the Islanders’ defense, and all rookies, in scoring with 15 points in 17 games. It’s an incredible feat given Schaefer is the youngest player in the NHL by five months and missed almost all of the 2024-25 season with injury. He’s developing into a true superstar, and will get his first chance to face his model comparison in the bout against Colorado.

Islanders Reassign Travis Mitchell

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  • On the other side of New York, the New York Islanders announced that they’ve returned defenseman Travis Mitchell to the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders. Although he participated in warmups before last night’s win against the Utah Mammoth, Mitchell has yet to debut in the NHL. He’s registered three assists in 12 games for the AHL Islanders this year.

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Islanders Recall Travis Mitchell

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The Islanders announced they’ve recalled defenseman Travis Mitchell from AHL Bridgeport. Defenseman Scott Mayfield was moved to the non-roster list to open up a spot for him, Stefen Rosner of NHL.com reports. He’s unavailable against the Golden Knights tonight while on paternity leave.

Mitchell, 25, wasn’t at the Islanders’ morning skate in Vegas, Rosner reports, and is still on his way to join the club. He won’t be a factor tonight unless he has to be because of a last-minute injury. It will be Adam Boqvist drawing into third-pairing duties with Alexander Romanov in Mayfield’s place, per Rosner.

If Mitchell gets any playing time while Mayfield is out, it would be his NHL debut. He was recalled for a week last November but was scratched for every game. The 6’4″ lefty was an undrafted free agent signing out of Cornell in 2023. While his entry-level contract expired after last season, the Isles extended him a qualifying offer and then re-upped him on a two-way deal to keep him in the organization for 2025-26. He’ll be eligible to test unrestricted free agency at the end of the season via Group VI status.

Mitchell has been a heavy hitter for Bridgeport, but not a ton else. In 12 appearances this season, the Michigan native has three assists with a -1 rating and 27 penalty minutes. He racked up 101 PIMs last year but was also limited to 13 points with a -22 rating in 65 games.

As for Mayfield, he’s done well to re-establish himself this season in year three of his seven-year, $24.5MM contract. He’s played in all 16 games this season after being benched at times over the last two years and is averaging 18:48 of ice time per game, his highest since the 2022-23 season. The shutdown rearguard has three assists and a +1 rating but only has 11 hits, by far the lowest per game of his career.

Hall Of Fame Journalist Larry Brooks Passes Away At 75

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Longtime New York Post columnist and Hockey Hall Of Fame writer Larry Brooks has passed away at the age of 75 after a battle with cancer. Brooks spent 38 years with the Post, across two tenures, split by his work as the Senior Vice President Of Communications with the New Jersey Devils from 1982 to 1992.

Commonly refered to as “Brooksie”, Brooks’ time with The Post began in 1976. He originally covered the Ne wYork Islanders and the MLB’s New York Yankees, who he followed on a run to the World Series Championship in 1977. He took on covering the Rangers in the following year, and continued on for five years before taking on coverage of the Devils following their relocation from Colorado. That role blossomed into an executive role in New Jersey’s front office, giving Brooks a rare mix of experience on both sides of the mic. He became The Post’s primary Rangers beat writer and principal hockey columnist for their paper soon after his return to journalism in 1992.

Brooks covered the Rangers with great intimacy and consistency, modeling beat coverage for many up-and-coming journalists. That exemplary performance was recognized in 2001, when Brooks was named president of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association. He carried the title for three years, supporting the group that oversees voting for seven annual awards handed out by the NHL. The PHWA also votes for the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award, presented by the Hockey Hall of Fame to recognize those who have brought honor to journalism and to hockey.

Fittingly, Brooks won the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award himself in 2018. The Hockey Hall of Fame honored Brooks alongside longtime Toronto Maple Leafs broadcaster Joe Bowen.

Brooks was impossible to miss over his time covering the Rangers. Not only did his columns often headline The Post, but his words often found their way into the New York fandom zietgeist. He is often credited as being the one to award Henrik Lundqvist with his popular nickname, “The King”. Brooks was also a vocal challenger to longtime Rangers head coach John Tortorella, with the two butting heads more than a few times during Tortorella’s tenure from 2008 to 2013. The Post shares that Tortorella had reached out to check-in on Brooks over the last week, something that Brooks’ son, Jordan, says meant a lot to his father.

Brooks will be rememebered as a titan of hockey journalism, with the demeanor to stand up to hard-headed head coaches and unfair labor disputes. He was vocal and proud in both the small and the big moments. He watched over a 9-8-7 record to start New York’s season – a nice step forward from a dismal season last year. His final column was an analysis of why defender Braden Schneider deserves loftier minutes.

Brooks leaves behind a son, a daughter-in-law, Joanna, and two grandchildren. His work with The Post will be continued by longtime colleague Mollie Walker. Pro Hockey Rumors sends our condolences to Brooks’ family, friends, and the entire New York sports fanbase.

Devils, Islanders Discussed Simon Nemec Trade

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The Devils and Islanders had preliminary discussions over the offseason regarding a trade that would have sent former No. 2 overall pick Simon Nemec to Long Island, according to a report from The Athletic’s Arthur Staple on Daily Faceoff’s “Tri-State Hockey Podcast.” Staple clarified that those talks were initiated from the Isles’ side, not necessarily because New Jersey was expressly shopping the defender.

The fact that the Islanders would have interest in a right-shot defender with top-pairing potential in the early stages of their retool is unsurprising. The fact that a trade didn’t materialize between cross-state, divisional rivals is equally as unsurprising. Nemec, a 6’1″ 21-year-old, was drafted in 2022 ahead of Logan Cooley, Cutter Gauthier, and Shane Wright in the top five but hasn’t nearly clicked at the NHL level to the degree they have. He had a strong rookie showing in 2023-24, when an injury to Dougie Hamilton allowed Nemec to make 60 appearances while averaging nearly 20 minutes per game. He recorded 19 points (three goals, 16 assists), posted a -7 rating, and led the team with 105 blocks.

That’s a fine stat line for a rearguard in his 19-year-old season who was always seen as a bit of a project in a weaker draft class. However, his development since then hasn’t been linear. Nemec lost ice time last season after the Devils added veterans Brenden Dillon, Johnathan Kovacevic, and Brett Pesce to insulate their blue line. He ended up playing more with AHL Utica than he did with the Devils, where his usage dipped to 14:59 per game across 27 appearances. When dressed, he was more of a liability than a non-factor. He had just four points with a -10 rating despite playing sheltered offensive minutes at 5-on-5. He started 64.6% of his shifts in the offensive zone but controlled just 44.3% of shot attempts.

Even with those struggles, the Devils made clear at last season’s trade deadline that he wasn’t someone they intended to move. It would have taken an above-market-value offer to move him, something the Islanders didn’t provide. Staple speculated that their offer started with the Avalanche’s 2026 first-round pick, which they had previously acquired for Brock Nelson at last season’s trade deadline. With that expected to fall in the 20-and-below range, that’s not a particularly compelling piece on its own and likely would have needed to be paired with an impact roster player, at least, to get a deal across the finish line. New Jersey’s cap crunch would have made that a non-starter.

It’s unclear when these talks occurred in relation to the draft, but it is of little consequence. The Islanders still have Scott Mayfield and Ryan Pulock signed long-term on the right side, but their organizational depth behind them is extremely light. Tony DeAngelo and Adam Boqvist are rostered on expiring deals as stopgap solutions, and their only right-shot options in the minors are veterans Ethan Bear and Cole McWard. Their two top defense prospects behind Matthew Schaefer, Kashawn Aitcheson and Isaiah George are both lefties. Changing that is likely one of general manager Mathieu Darche’s more pressing priorities next summer.

As for the Devils, they’re likely feeling justified in their decision to hold onto Nemec. An injury to Pesce has once again afforded Nemec expanded ice time to start the season. He’s appeared in all 16 games and leads their blue line in scoring with a goal and eight assists for nine points, adding a +1 rating and 26 blocks. His 17:47 average time on ice is still lacking compared to his rookie season, but that’s because he’s not factoring in on either special teams unit – making his point production all the more impressive.

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