Romanov Is Out Again — and the Islanders Must Rebuild Their Blue Line in October
GOATIFYAlexander Romanov had barely settled back into the New York Islanders defense before another injury turned his season upside down. The 26-year-old tore the ACL in his right knee during Tuesday's 5-2 loss to the New York Rangers. The club says he needs surgery and will miss six to eight months. Three games into the 2026-27 season, even a spring return would require an optimistic recovery.
The setback is especially difficult because Romanov spent almost all of last season recovering from shoulder surgery. New York had counted on him alongside Ryan Pulock, while Matthew Schaefer and Adam Pelech formed another important pair. Now coach Pete DeBoer must rebuild the left side without weakening the rest of his defense.
A routine-looking shift became a six-to-eight-month absence
Romanov's injury happened in the third period at Madison Square Garden. He became tangled with Rangers center Mika Zibanejad, appeared uncomfortable after the contact and did not play the final 12:04. DeBoer initially said the defenseman was being evaluated. By Wednesday, the Islanders had confirmed the torn ACL and a six-to-eight-month recovery estimate.
That range matters. Six months from early October points toward the beginning of April; eight months reaches well beyond the regular season. The Islanders' schedule ends April 10, so even the shortest projected absence leaves almost no runway for Romanov to return to game rhythm. It is too early to declare a precise comeback date, and the team has not promised one.
Before the injury, Romanov had played all three Islanders games, recording no points but posting a plus-two rating while averaging 16 minutes and 34 seconds. Those numbers do not describe his entire contribution. His value is largely defensive: closing space, delivering contact and giving his partner a physical presence on a team that already asks Schaefer to carry major responsibility. The injury removes that option just as the opening-week pairings were beginning to take shape.
The cruel repeat of last season's rehab
Romanov had worked for months to get back here. A hit by Dallas forward Mikko Rantanen in November 2025 led to shoulder surgery, limiting him to 15 games last season. In September, Islanders officials praised his conditioning and DeBoer said he looked quicker, with top-four potential.
His return had restored a physical presence on Ryan Pulock's pair. Instead, another serious injury has interrupted a second consecutive season. New York must now prepare for a long absence rather than a quick return.
Romanov signed a major eight-year contract extension in June 2025. He has appeared in only 18 regular-season games across the two seasons since, but that statistic describes availability rather than his ability. Before his shoulder injury he produced three straight seasons with at least 20 points, while his skating and defensive physicality were central to his role. The new recovery estimate is not a guarantee about when he will return.
DeBoer now has a left-side problem, not just an empty spot
Romanov is a left-shot defender, and his absence leaves right-shot Ryan Pulock without the expected partner. DeBoer could split the Adam Pelech–Matthew Schaefer pairing to spread experience, but that would disrupt another established unit. Keeping it together would require a different solution for Pulock and the remaining minutes.
Scott Mayfield and Matthew Kessel have been healthy scratches, offering experienced options. Both shoot right, however, so using either on the left would require adjustment. Logan Stanley has been playing on the third pair, while Isaiah George, Kashawn Aitcheson and Marshall Warren are possible call-ups. None has been announced as Romanov's replacement.
Forward Mathew Barzal was expected to resume skating Thursday after a knee issue. Romanov's absence could open roster flexibility, but skating does not mean Barzal has been cleared to play. The Islanders host Chicago on Thursday with a 1-2-0 record. New York has more depth than last season, yet DeBoer must find a lineup that does not turn one missing defender into three unsettled pairs.
For Romanov, the priority is surgery and recovery after a second abrupt interruption. For the Islanders, the question is how to avoid turning one injury into three unsettled defensive pairs. DeBoer can choose a veteran, rearrange the established combinations or give a younger player an opening, but each path changes someone else's job.
The club does not need to decide Romanov's long-term future this week. It does need a credible six-defenseman plan now. That is the practical consequence of losing a player who had spent the summer fighting to return: New York must build a workable blue line while he starts another rehabilitation.
