Islanders' Romanov's swift shoulder recovery fuels playoff hopes. He's progressing faster than expected, potentially returning for postseason action.
Defenseman Alexander Romanov could be ready for the start of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs if the New York Islanders qualify, per general manager Mathieu Darche.
Romanov, who sustained a right-shoulder injury that required surgery on Nov. 18, was expected to be out until mid-playoffs, but he's progressed faster than they expected.
"Romy is doing really, really well," Darche said following the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline. "You see him before practice. There's a chance he could be ready for the playoffs, if not, like, very early in the playoffs. So he's trending really well right now. It was a long shot for the playoffs. He's rehabbing really well. It's still, like, it's borderline for playoffs, but there is a chance."
So you are saying there's a chance?
Per the amended CBA playoff rules, a team's game roster must be salary cap compliant. That means the Islanders need to fit Romanov's $6 million cap hit into their lineup.
Looking at the books, the Islanders currently have $3.521,236 in available cap space, but that's for the entirety of the roster.
If Romanov is back on the playoff roster, likely on the left side of Scott Mayfield in place of Carson Soucy, the Islanders' game roster cap hit would be $85.89 million, almost $10 million below the $95.5 million salary cap.
That's based on this roster:
Palat-Horvat-Barzal
Ritchie-Schenn-Heineman
Lee-Pageau-Holmstrom
MacLean-Cizikas-Gatcomb
Schaefer-Pulock
Pelech-DeAngelo
Romanov-Mayfield
Sorokin
Rittich
The Islanders currently sit tied in points for second place in the Metropolitan Division with 19 games to go.