The New York Islanders will proceed through training camp without forward Mathew Barzal after he experienced a flare-up of knee inflammation.
The 29-year-old will not skate for the next two weeks, covering the full duration of camp. Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche described the inflammation as an aftereffect of the knee injury Barzal suffered on February 1, 2025, while blocking a shot from Darren Raddysh.
“It’s something that we’ve been managing for over a year,” Darche said. “Every now and then there's some inflammation, and just over the summer, as he ramped up, there was a bit more inflammation. We just want to make sure that we control it. So it's nothing new. It's just something we have to control.”
Barzal still has a chance to be ready for opening night, according to Darche, though it is not guaranteed because the team is playing the long game.
The forward is actively working to return to full health. The organization stated there is nobody more committed than Barzal to getting his body to the level where he thrives on the ice.
Barzal led the Islanders in scoring during the 2025-26 season with 72 points consisting of 19 goals and 53 assists in 81 games. He is signed through the 2030-31 campaign.
The timeline for his return remains fluid as the team takes a conservative approach to ensure the condition is properly managed.