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Islanders lose Calum Ritchie, Matias Maccelli to injury in test of roster depth

The New York Islanders suffered a pair of significant setbacks Saturday night in Toronto, with winger Calum Ritchie expected to miss 4–6 weeks and forward Matias Maccelli out for 2–4 weeks after lower-body injuries. The losses compound roster challenges for a team already navigating the prolonged absence of star center Mat Barzal, whose return timeline remains uncertain despite speculation.

With Ritchie sidelined, the Islanders will lack one of their top offensive threats for at least six games, including their upcoming two-game homestand against Anaheim. Maccelli’s absence further thins a forward group now down to just 12 healthy players, prompting coach Pete DeBoer to shuffle lines—moving Kyle Palmieri back to the first unit and Ondrej Palat up to the third—while also calling up Mitchell Chaffee on an emergency basis to free a roster spot for Alexander Romanov’s ACL placement on injured reserve.

Chaffee, who had a strong training camp before being cut, responded immediately with a hat trick in his return game, showcasing resilience in adversity. Meanwhile, Barzal’s recovery remains stalled, with DeBoer emphasizing no acceleration will occur despite the team’s mounting injuries.

The early-season injuries have already forced the Islanders to extend Victor Eklund’s contract beyond the nine-game mark, as the team scrambles to maintain depth in a top-six forward group already halved by preseason projections.

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