Several defensemen will be missing Tuesday’s games with injuries, as the New York Islanders’ Scott Mayfield, the San Jose Sharks’ Marc-Edouard Vlasic and the Minnesota Wild’s Alex Goligoski will all miss their respective team’s game.
Mayfield, 31, played the entirety of the Islander’s only game on Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres, including the final shift, so either he played through an injury in that game or he suffered the injury in the time since then. There were no line rushes in practice on Tuesday ahead of the Islanders game against the Arizona Coyotes, but it’s currently believed that Samuel Bolduc will sub in for Mayfield alongside Sebastian Aho. Mayfield had no points in the Isles lone game this season, and had six goals, 18 assists and 24 points in 82 games last season.
Vlasic, 36, suffered an injury midway through the first period of Saturday’s Sharks game against the Colorado Avalanche, and did not return to the game. While there’s no official word on who will replace Vlasic in the lineup, it will likely be one of Henry Thrun or Ty Emberson, especially with Radim Simek and Jacob MacDonald already out with injuries. Vlasic has been held pointless through two games so far this season, and had one goal, 17 assists and 18 points in 78 games last season for the Sharks.
Goligoski, 38, was injured during the Wild’s practice on Monday after he took a puck to the foot/ankle. Calen Addison will slot into the top four in Goligoski’s place while Dakota Mermis will sub into the lineup on the blueline, but with injuries to Goligoski, Jared Spurgeon and Matt Boldy, the Wild will be playing Tuesday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens a man short due to the lack of cap space. Goligoski has been held pointless through two games so far this season, and had two goals, four assists and six points in 46 games last season for the Wild.
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