The best ability is availability.
Defenseman Alexander Romanov has quickly become one of the most important pieces to the New York Islanders lineup.
Although his physicality has always been a strength, his ability to defend the rush and his decision-making regarding when to join the attack have become stronger.
The problem is Romanov hasn't been as available as the Islanders would have liked, and the best ability is availability.
The pending restricted free agent has missed 13 games this season due to an upper-body injury.
The 25-year-old blue liner's injury issues began on Oct. 25, in their 4-3 win over the New Jersey Devils after colliding with Kurtis MacDermid:
He missed the next three games—the Islanders went 0-3-0—before returning against the Buffalo Sabres in a nightmarish 4-3 win on Nov. 1.
Just a game after losing Mathew Barzal to a long-term upper-body injury, defenseman Adam Pelech broke his jaw, defenseman Mike Reilly suffered a concussion with tests leading to a heart defect that required surgery, while Romanov reaggravated his injury after being hit by Jordan Greenway.
Being the warrior that he is, Romanov returned and finished that game because, as he said, he couldn't leave his team that short that many defenders.
However, Romanov then missed the next seven games—the Islanders went 3-2-2—before returning during their Western Canada trip and rejoining the group for their 2-1 shootout loss to the Calgary Flames.
Romanov seemed to be over the injury hurdle, playing in 22 games before missing a few more.
In the Islanders' best game of the season, a 4-0 shutout win over the Vegas Golden Knights, Romanov was arguably the team's best player, laying the body while also recording two assists.
However, something must have happened, as he missed the Islanders' next three games with an upper-body injury. His team went 1-2-0.
He returned against the San Jose Sharks last Saturday.
This season, the Islanders are 15-12-5 (.565%) with Romanov in the lineup, but they are just 4-7-2 (.384%) without him.
"Every player on our team is important. But obviously, he makes a difference when he's in and out," Islanders head coach Patrick Roy said. "He's physical, he's moving the puck well, and he's defending well. The other team knows when he's there because of his physicality."
Romanov leads the Islanders with 75 hits, 6.43 hits per 60, while also leading in blocks per 60, with 6.26, while averaging the third-most minutes at 21:51 per game.
With Noah Dobson now out due to injury and with no timetable for his return, Romanov will be heavily relied upon to carry out some of the workload.
No, Romanov will not be manning the point on either power-play unit.
But the Islanders will need him to continue being effective, especially on the penalty kill. The shorthanded unit has turned things around, as he has killed off 13 of the last 14 power plays they've faced.
Romanov will skate with Scott Mayfield, at least to start, while the team tries to navigate the Dobson loss as best it can.
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