What will the Islanders do if Bortuzzo is ready to go?

Some may say that Robert Bortuzzo did his job after the New York Islanders acquired the veteran defenseman from the St. Louis Blues on Dec. 8.

For the cost of a seventh-round pick at the 2024 NHL Draft, the Islanders got a stable player to help fill the hole Ryan Pulock left behind.

In 11 games with the Islanders, Bortuzzo served as a valuable asset, with 17 blocks helping to stabilize struggling rookie Samuel Bolduc.

But then Bortuzzo's season got put on pause after suffering a lower-body injury against the Colorado Avalanche on Jan. 2.

The Islanders placed Bortuzzo and his $950,000 salary-cap hit on long-term injured reserve on Feb. 4 to help create enough cap space and a roster spot for Pulock's activation. 

Then, it was radio silence until Bortuzzo joined the Islanders for practice on Feb. 9.

He skated with the group in each practice before missing the last few skates before Sunday's 2024 NHL Stadium Series.

But, with how the Islanders' penalty kill has struggled and Scott Mayfield's struggles this season, could Bortuzzo getting back provide an answer to their woes?

With Bortuzzo back in the mix, he becomes another option for Roy, but it creates a crowded blue line, with Bolduc and Sebastian Aho already extras. 

If Bortuzzo were to be activated out of LTIR, the Islanders would be over the cap by $637,458 and also would need to create a roster spot. 

The Islanders would have to waive or move Aho ($825,000), Bolduc ($800,000), or forward Oliver Wahlstrom ($874,125) to create that spot. 

Either one of those moves would create enough cap space for Bortuzzo. 

But it would be shocking to see the Islanders move Wahlstrom because that would leave them with just 12 forwards and no cap space to recall another. 

Some teams could just wait for roster expansion following the March 8 NHL Trade Deadline. But the Islanders don't have the cap space to do that, which is why Bortuzzo being ready means a tough decision is incoming. 

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