Islanders' Mathew Barzal Taking Steps Forward, But No Timeline For Return To Team Practice

ELMONT, NY -- For a second straight day, New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal, who is working his way back from left-knee inflammation stemming from a previous injury, skated on his own. 

“It was a short skate yesterday. It was a longer skate today," Islanders head coach Pete DeBoer said on Friday morning. "I guess we're just building blocks.”

DeBoer was asked about a timeline for when he could join the team for practice, and general manager Mathieu Darche said, before their Sept. 30 season opener in Toronto, that he didn't believe Barzal would need much practice time before making his season debut. 

“We're not even having those conversations yet," DeBoer said. "We’re still in the initial phase of return to play.”

Barzal, in the fourth season of an eight-year, $9.25 million deal, will miss his fifth straight game on Saturday night as the Islanders host the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The timelines have clearly changed since training camp with the club being extra cautious with their star forward. 

The good news is that after skating, Barzal is feeling good, so hopefully there aren't any setbacks as he continues to progress.