The best ability is availability.
The best ability is availability.
EAST MEADOW, NY -- Making the playoffs in the National Hockey League is ultra tough. It's even harder when injuries ransack a lineup.
That's what's happened to the New York Islanders this season, primarily to their backend.
Adam Pelech missed 24 games with multiple injuries. Ironically, his defense partner Ryan Pulock also missed 24 games due to a lower-body injury.
Scott Mayfield injured himself after blocking a shot in Game One of the regular season before missing more time with an upper-body injury for a total of 15 games.
Sebastian Aho missed eight games with an upper-body injury, while Robert Bortuzzo -- acquired after Pulock's injury -- will miss his 14th straight game tonight.
On top of that, Matt Martin missed 22 games with an upper-body injury, while Casey Cizikas was the latest man on the shelf, missing the last 10 games due to a lower-body injury.
We can't forget about goaltender Semyon Varlamov, who missed a game before retweaking whatever was ailing him, keeping him out of the lineup for an additional 10 games.
Slowly but surely, the Islanders have been able to get healthy.
Pulock and Pelech were ready to go after the 2024 NHL All-Star break, and with Cizikas being activated off long-term injured reserve Thursday afternoon, the Islanders are now as healthy as they've been all season ahead of their game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Outside of Hudson Fasching, who is sidelined with a lower-body injury, all of the Islanders' "starters" are back in the lineup, and having the full group back together couldn't have come at a better time.
With just 32 games left in the regular season, the Islanders are currently four points back of the second wild-card spot and third place in the Metropolitan Division.
It's all hands on deck for New York, which will be relying on a veteran group that finds itself in the exact same spot as it was in a year ago.
It's even more important for the Islanders to be healthy because of Patrick Roy's arrival.
Not only is this group playing catchup, but they are also learning a brand new system on the fly.
Speaking with Pulock, it's hard to truly grasp the changes without being on the ice with the group.
Cizikas being back for a few practices and getting into a game under Roy is invaluable because the new bench boss's focus is for his players to all play as one unit, a five-man team.
Well, if one player isn't grasping something or is struggling in a certain area, it will negatively impact not just his linemates but the game plan.
The goal now is for the Islanders to continue progressing under Roy while staying healthy. It's always a next-man-up attitude, and the fill-ins did enough to keep the Islanders in the playoff conversation.
Now, back healthy, it's up to the Islanders' regulars to ensure their hockey season extends after Apr. 17.