Islanders’ Simon Holmstrom, Alexander Romanov Leave With Injury

The New York Islanders got battered and bruised in Tuesday night’s loss to their rival New York Rangers. Forward Simon Holmstrom exited the game in a rush during the first period after a zone clear attempt from Rangers defenseman Sean Durzi hit him in the face. Holmstrom remained out through the start of the second period, before returning to the bench later in the frame. Head coach Pete DeBoer told reporters, including Andrew Gross of Newsday, that Holmstrom might have broken his nose but should play through the injury.

The update may not be as positive for defenseman Alexander Romanov, who exited the game in the third period. Romanov appeared to sustain his injury in a tie-up with a Rangers forward behind the net with roughly 12 minutes left in the game. Romanov struggled to put weight on his right leg but made it to the bench with no assistance. DeBoer had no update on him after the game.

Holmstrom will stick in his third-line role as New York prepares for Thursday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks. A pair of points in last week’s win over the New Jersey Devils has earned Holmstrom a productive start through three games in 2026-27. He scored 19 goals and 41 points in 79 games last season, just narrowly missing the 20-goal, 45-point career-highs he set in the 2024-25 season. Holmstrom has grown into reliable depth for the Islanders lineup and should continue to support the offense despite a broken nose.

Romanov’s injury could force a shift in the Islanders’ blue line. He rounded out the team’s top-four next to Ryan Pulock, behind Adam Pelech and Matthew Schaefer. DeBoer has heavily rotated his blue-line through the first few games of the season, with only Pelech and Schaefer averaging more than 20 minutes of ice time. That gameplan should put more focus on the pairing of Logan Stanley and Tony DeAngelo, while Scott Mayfield likely draws back into the lineup to fill Romanov’s spot. Mayfield has yet to play this season but recorded 15 points, a minus-11, and 75 hits in 80 games last year. He sits as New York’s extra defender but could catch the attention of his new head coach with a strong performance in relief of Romanov.