EAST MEADOW, NY -- Since New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal went down with a left knee-cap injury on Feb. 1, we have not been able to talk to him.
That’s not uncommon, given his status on injured reserve.
Following Sunday’s morning skate, I asked Islanders forward Brock Nelson about how Barzal was feeling.
“I saw him yesterday for the first time,” Nelson, who was gone for 10 days competing with Team USA at the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off, said. “He's in good spirits. Obviously, another injury for him, it sucks. You don't want to see him go down. You don't want to see anybody go down, but he’s been a big part of our team for a long time, and he’s the future. He’s a dynamic player. But I think he's in good spirits.”
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During this conversation with Nelson, I asked him about his buddy Mike Reilly, who took part in his first team skate on Sunday since undergoing a heart procedure on Nov. 18.
You can catch that story here:
Mike Reilly's Return To Islanders Team Skate Inspiring Group Ahead Of Return From 4 Nations Break
EAST MEADOW, NY -- It's been a long road for <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/NHLNYI">New York Islanders</a> defenseman <a href="https://www.nhl.com/news/new-york-islanders-mike-reilly-to-have-heart-procedure">Mike Reilly</a>.
“Barzal and Mike are similar in the sense that they love being in the mix with the guys, and you know they're going to push themselves to be back as quick as they can, as best they can to be back out there. So, I think Barzal is doing well with that. Obviously, it's unfortunate, it's tough but you just try to support him any way you can.”
Barzal missed his 27th game on Sunday night, his fifth with this latest injury. He missed 23 games with an upper-body injury that occurred on Oct. 30 against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
There is no official report on when Barzal could be back in the lineup, but it’s likely he’ll miss the rest of the regular season.
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