Islanders GM provides positive updates on 4 injured players before training camp

The New York Islanders were one of the most injury-riddled teams in the National Hockey League in 2025-26, and it contributed to the franchise missing out on the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a second straight season.

The Isles suffered 363 man-games lost to injury — fifth league-wide — with Semyon Varlamov and Pierre Engvall missing the entire campaign, and Kyle Palmieri and Alex Romanov each missing significant stretches.

But all four are expected to be ready for training camp, which commences in roughly two weeks, general manager Mathieu Darche said earlier this week.

Varlamov’s inclusion will be the most significant, as the 38-year-old hasn’t played an NHL game since November of 2024 following two knee procedures.

“He’s doing great, actually. It’s almost a miracle,” Darche said on Wednesday, per NHL.com’s Stefen Rosner. “Well, it’s not a miracle because he’s really put in the work. He’s been back here for at least a month. He’s on the ice four to five times a week, no medication, no pain, anything like that.

“So, right now, we expect him to be — I mean, he’s going to be a full participant in camp. He’s going to play preseason games, and hopefully he’s ready to give us a lot of games this year.”

That’s terrific news for a veteran player who has put together a strong couple of campaigns on Long Island.

Romanov will also be a full participant in camp after his 2025-26 season was cut short following a boarding by Dallas Stars forward Mikko Rantanen on Nov. 18. He played in 15 games before the injury.

“Romanov, he’s been back for three weeks. He’s 12 pounds lighter,” Darche said. “That’s as good as I’ve seen him, the way he’s moving on the ice. I challenged him at the end of the year, and he put in the work this summer.”

Palmieri appeared in 25 games in 2025-26 — scoring 18 points — before tearing his right ACL in a game against the Philadelphia Flyers at the end of November.

“Kyle Palmieri’s been skating all summer. He’s been here all summer,” Darche added. “He looks great, fully healthy.”

As for Engvall, he sat out all last year due to an ankle injury suffered before the start of training camp. The 30-year-old managed 15 points in 62 regular-season games in 2024-25.

If all four veterans can stay healthy this upcoming season, the Islanders will have a much better chance of returning to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in three years. The return of Varlamov could also give Ilya Sorokin some valuable relief after the Islanders leaned heavily on their starting goaltender down the stretch last season.

New York opens its 2026-27 season against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sept. 30.

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