Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Islanders Rumors

Cal Clutterbuck Placed On Injured Reserve

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The New York Islanders have made several transactions today, starting with Cal Clutterbuck being placed on injured reserve. His stint is retroactive to December 16, meaning he could come off in just a few days if healthy enough to return. Hudson Fasching, Simon Holmstrom, and Cory Schnieder have all been recalled from the AHL, the latter under emergency conditions.

Clutterbuck has been listed as day-to-day recently, suggesting he will be back rather soon. The veteran forward has five points in 26 games this season while playing just over 12 minutes a night.

Now 35, the bruising fourth-liner has played the same role for nearly a decade in New York and is still signed through next season at a $1.75MM cap hit.

With Kyle Palmieri and Semyon Varlamov also still dealing with minor injuries, the others will come up for the back-to-back that starts tomorrow against the New York Rangers. The Islanders will play those two games and then break for Christmas, before resuming play on the 27th, hopefully with several injured players back in the lineup.

Fasching, 27, has two goals in six appearances for the Islanders this season, while the 21-year-old Holmstrom has two points in 12 games.

Nikita Soshnikov Signs In KHL

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

We have probably seen the last of Nikita Soshnikov. After his contract was terminated by the New York Islanders, the minor league forward officially signed with HC Traktor in the KHL. The new deal will continue through the 2023-24 season, meaning he would be 31 by the time a return to North America was possible.

Like so many other undrafted Russian forwards, Soshnikov showed NHL-level talent but found it difficult to carve out a regular role in the league. After putting up a 32-point season for Moscow Oblast Atlant in 2014-15, he signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs and quickly rose the depth chart.

That year, he scored 18 goals for the Toronto Marlies but also had five points in 11 games with the rebuilding Maple Leafs. The next season, as the club turned to an extremely young lineup, he played in 56 NHL games but was only able to record nine points.

It still seemed like he would stick, but that season ended up being more than half of his career appearances. A few more games for Toronto, an unsuccessful stint in St. Louis, and Soshnikov was back to the KHL, where he once again showed he could score at a high level.

This season he tried the NHL again, convinced by Lou Lamoriello for a second time, and ended up in just three games with the Islanders. For his career, Soshnikov scored 16 points in 90 games.

Nikita Soshnikov Placed On Unconditional Waivers

at CDT | by 4 Comments

Soshnikov, who had just returned to North America after a three year stint in the KHL, had made the New York Islanders roster out of training camp, however he had seen rather limited playing time before being placed on waivers and sent down in mid-November, getting into just three games on the Island. Like Sedlak and Zhuravlyov, perhaps an opportunity closer to home is on the table for Soshnikov, though nothing’s confirmed for the latter two.

Czarnik is no stranger to the waiver wire himself, claimed twice last season, once by the Seattle Kraken from the Islanders, then again by the Islanders from the Kraken. The forward signed with the Detroit Red Wings this season, placed on waivers just prior to the start of the regular season, and now finds himself on the wire for the fourth time in roughly 10 months. Known as a solid depth option wherever he goes, the 30-year-old Czarnik has three points in 11 NHL games this season to go with an impressive 14 points in 12 games with the Grand Rapids Griffins, Detroit’s AHL affiliate.

Islanders Recall Cory Schneider On Emergency Basis

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Semyon Varlamov left Saturday’s game with an injury and it appears it will keep him out for at least one game as the Islanders announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled goaltender Cory Schneider from Bridgeport of the AHL.

The 36-year-old has had a good first couple of months in the minors this season, posting a 2.50 GAA along with a .921 SV% in 15 games with his save percentage ranking tied for seventh in the league.  Schneider, a veteran of 410 NHL appearances over 13 seasons, has seen just one game at the top level in the last three years since joining the Islanders with that appearance coming last season.  It’s unlikely he’ll see any action on this recall barring injury as the net will be Ilya Sorokin’s for the time being.

It’s notable that this recall actually puts the Isles over the 23-player roster limit.  However, there is a Goaltender Exemption provision in the CBA that does allow teams to bring up a goalie that doesn’t count against the limit.  It can only be used twice in a season and for a maximum of 48 hours.  That’s enough to get through Monday’s game against Colorado but they’ll have to determine after that point if Varlamov is good to return.  If so, Schneider will be sent down and if not, Varlamov will need to be moved to injured reserve to keep Schneider on the roster.

No Updates Available On Clutterbuck, Palmieri, Varlamov

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

  • After a tough loss at the hands of the Arizona Coyotes, the New York Islanders were able to follow it up with a big win over the Pacific Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights yesterday evening, however the team did have a rough go of it this weekend, apparently losing three key pieces in the efforts. It was already reported that forwards Cal Clutterbuck and Kyle Palmieri had been injured Friday in Arizona, which forced the pair out of last night’s game in Vegas, and as Newsday’s Andrew Gross writes, there’s still no update on whether either player’s injury could be a longer-term issue. Compounding the injury concerns, mid-way through the third period in Vegas, goaltender Semyon Varlamov abruptly exited the game during a TV timeout and was replaced by Ilya Sorokin, who finished out the remainder of the victory. As Gross adds, no further update on the goaltender was made available either by head coach Lane Lambert.

Kyle Palmieri, Cal Clutterbuck Day-To-Day; Will Not Play Saturday

at CDT | by 6 Comments

  • The New York Islanders will be down a pair of forwards when they take on the Vegas Golden Knights this evening. Wingers Cal Clutterbuck and Kyle Palmieri will both miss the game with undisclosed injuries, the team announced. Fortunately, it seems the team avoided anything too major, as both are listed as day-to-day, however they’ve both dealt with their own injuries throughout this season, Palmieri only returning from a three week absence last night. It’s unclear how Clutterbuck injured himself, though he did leave last night’s game and didn’t return. Palmieri on the other hand left the game in concussion protocol after taking a big hit from Arizona Coyotes forward Nick Ritchie, but did return to action later on.

New York Islanders Activate Kyle Palmieri

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Yesterday, as part of our coverage of Adam Pelech’s placement on injured reserve, we covered how the New York Islanders were nearing a return date for Kyle Palmieri, who was out with an upper-body injury.

Today, that return date has been finalized, with Palmieri being activated from injured reserve this afternoon. Palmieri, 31, has played in 20 games so far this season, scoring six goals and nine points. He scored 15 goals and 33 points last year, playing on a $5MM cap hit that runs until the summer of 2025.

Palmieri is a veteran of over 700 career NHL games, and his return to full health is a positive development for the Islanders as they look to make their return to the playoffs. Not only does Palmieri chip in an important amount of secondary scoring, but his gritty, hard-working style is also very highly regarded on Long Island by both fans and coach Lane Lambert.

While he may be a few too many years removed from his 30-goal, 50-point days to be relied on for that kind of production anymore, he’s still an experienced forward with an exceptional resume and a wealth of experience.

New York Islanders Place Adam Pelech On Injured Reserve

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The New York Islanders have announced that they have placed defenseman Adam Pelech on injured reserve. Per their announcement, the move is retroactive to December 6th, meaning it’s possible that Pelech misses just one more game.

The move also allows the Islanders to activate Kyle Palmieri off of injured reserve for tomorrow’s game, if they so choose. Palmieri has been out with an upper-body injury.

Pelech is among the most important defensemen on the Islanders’ roster. The 28-year-old veteran is typically partnered with Ryan Pulock, and that pairing forms the duo that eats the most minutes for the Islanders at five-on-five.

In addition to his value at even strength, Pelech, who is an acclaimed shutdown defenseman, spends nearly three minutes per night killing penalties for the Islanders. His success in his own end has helped the uber-talented Ilya Sorokin grow into one of the league’s top netminders.

Pelech’s overall value to coach Lane Lambert and the Islanders’ suffocating defensive structure cannot be overstated, meaning if the Islanders wish to remain in a playoff spot they’ll have to hope that Pelech’s stay on injured reserve is brief.

Pelech suffered this injury after the back of his head slammed into the boards during practice. That’s obviously a scary injury to sustain, so first and foremost getting Pelech’s personal health in order has to be the priority.

But given just how important he is to all of the Islanders’ plans this season, it’s likely that the folks on Long Island will be hoping his return to the ice comes sooner rather than later.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: New York Islanders

at CDT | by 1 Comment

With American Thanksgiving now behind us and the holiday season coming up, PHR continues its look at what teams are thankful for in 2022-23. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the New York Islanders.

Who are the Islanders thankful for?

Ilya Sorokin.

The Islanders have gotten strong bounce-back performances from their top players this season. Mathew Barzal and Brock Nelson are clicking at a point-per-game rate down the middle, and Noah Dobson is continuing his play as a premier young defenseman in the NHL.

But even after putting up an elite performance on a mediocre Islanders squad last season, Sorokin has turned up the dial even further in 2022-23. Despite receiving much less goal support than his counterpart, Semyon Varlamov, the Islanders have managed to crack the .500 mark mainly due to Sorokin’s .925 save percentage and two shutouts. His 13.8 goals saved above expected (MoneyPuck) is third in the league and second in the conference behind Boston’s Linus Ullmark.

The team hasn’t retained the same defensive structure under Lane Lambert they were known for in previous seasons, but the Islanders still sit in the top 10 leaguewide in goals against. With Sorokin helping to mask those weaknesses, the Islanders remain in the playoff conversation as the new year approaches.

What are the Islanders thankful for?

A healthy team and a stable home.

Last season was a very, very public meltdown for the Islanders. A team that entered the season with top-10 odds to win the Stanley Cup had to scratch and claw just to finish above .500.

The biggest reason why? Perhaps it was the team’s 13-game road trip to start the season, which ended amid an 11-game losing streak throughout November and December. Injuries and COVID also took an extreme toll on the team around the same time.

This time around, it’s a different story. 10 players have played in all 30 games so far. Only one Islander – Zach Parise – played in all 82 games last season. They’ve also got a full season at UBS Arena, and their 9-6-0 home record is third in the Metropolitan Division behind New Jersey and Pittsburgh.

What would the Islanders be even more thankful for?

Stronger defense from depth players.

The Islanders have had a gigantic offensive resurgence, but some less structured play post-coaching change has limited them from rocketing back to contender status. While their actual goals against remain near the league’s top, their expected goals share at all situations (MoneyPuck) is at the opposite end of the spectrum (23rd in the league). Their more traditional possession numbers haven’t been anything outstanding either, and their bottom-six forward group is getting caved in at times.

Solving this problem likely lies on general manager Lou Lamoriello to alter the makeup of the team’s depth forwards. Their heralded fourth line of Matt Martin, Casey Cizikas, and Cal Clutterbuck has been their best defensively, but the opposite is true for the unit of Jean-Gabriel Pageau, flanked by Parise and Kyle Palmieri. While Parise remains a valuable depth scorer, especially for his six-digit cap hit, Palmieri’s managed just nine points in 20 games and continues to battle injuries.

What should be on the Islanders’ holiday wishlist?

A true sniper for Barzal’s line.

Barzal’s playmaking has been at its most dynamic this season, notching 27 assists in just 30 games. But neither of his regular linemates, Josh Bailey nor Oliver Wahlstrom, are close to double-digit goal totals on the year.

The Islanders do have a deep attack, but it lacks any chemistry between a pair of true stars. A slam-dunk 30-goal scorer on Barzal’s wing could absolutely give New York’s offense the firepower necessary to approach the top 10 in league scoring. Lamoriello has hesitated to give up the assets required recently, though, whether on-ice or financial, to make such a move come to fruition.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Cal Clutterbuck Returns, Briefly Injured Again

at CDT | by 2 Comments

  • The Islanders welcomed back winger Cal Clutterbuck to their lineup in tonight’s game against New Jersey. The veteran had missed the last three games with an upper-body injury sustained a week and a half ago against Philadelphia.  Clutterbuck has just three points in 22 games but is second on the team in hits, averaging just under four per contest.  New York didn’t bother placing Clutterbuck on IR when he was injured so they didn’t have to make a corresponding roster move for him to return.  He was injured midway through the first period but did return for the second.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top