The New York Islanders open their 2026-27 season against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night — and one of their most important players could be on the ice for Game 1.
Mathew Barzal, who missed training camp while nursing an injury, will travel with his teammates and has not been ruled out for the opener, per NHL.com.
The 29-year-old was shut down for roughly two weeks after aggravating a lingering knee injury that caused inflammation, general manager Mathieu Darche said in mid-September.
Barzal won’t skate until Wednesday morning, but there is a chance he could suit up against the Leafs, who host the Montreal Canadiens for their own home opener Tuesday.
As Islanders reporter Stefen Rosner noted, New York placed Barzal on the Injured Non-Roster list after he did not pass his physical. He can be activated and play the same day, though the Islanders would need to make room with their roster currently at the 23-player maximum.
Barzal was excellent in 2025-26, playing 81 regular-season games and recording 19 goals and 72 points.
Article Continues Below“The easy route, if the Islanders don't want to risk losing someone on waivers, is to send forward Victor Eklund down, since he is waiver-exempt,” Rosner wrote Monday. “However, that doesn't seem likely, especially given the fact that the Islanders are currently carrying eight defensemen.”
The Isles also signed towering defenseman Logan Stanley to a one-year, $1.5 million contract Sunday, which means Matt Kessel could hit waivers to make room for Barzal’s return.
“I think it's a great opportunity,” Stanley said. “Guys seem great so far, and they got a great coaching staff that I have some familiarity with, so excited about the opportunity.”
With Pete DeBoer behind the bench full time, the Islanders will be looking to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2023-24. Having Barzal healthy would make that quest much more manageable.
After Wednesday, the Islanders don’t play again until Saturday against the New Jersey Devils, which could be a more realistic target for the Coquitlam, British Columbia native’s season debut.