The New York Islanders are in a tough spot only eight games into the 2026-27 NHL regular season.
No. 2 center Calum Ritchie exited their most recent game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, a 4-1 victory, after only 28 seconds with a lower-body injury. Later in the first period, it was winger Matias Maccelli who suffered a lower-body injury of his own and had to be helped off the ice.
Without those two, Kyle MacLean, who has been a healthy scratch in all eight games thus far, is being inserted into the lineup. As is Mitchell Chaffee, a free agent signing this summer who started the campaign with the Hamilton Hammers but has been recalled to the NHL squad .
Both MacLean and Chaffee are going to skate on the fourth line with Casey Cizikas at the center spot. Veteran Kyle Palmieri, who began the contest against the Maple Leafs on the fourth line, is back on the first line at right wing.
Apr 11, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders head coach Peter DeBoer speaks to the media after their game against the Ottawa Senators at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Alexander Wohl-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Captain Bo Horvat is the No. 1 center with Simon Holmstrom on the left wing. On the second line, Brayden Schenn is moving over to the center spot from left wing, with Victor Eklund on the right wing. Skating on his left will be Emil Heineman.
The third line will have Ondrej Palat at left wing with JG Pageau at center and Anthony Duclair on the right wing.
Along with their even-strength trios, the power play units have changed drastically without Ritchie and Maccelli available. According to Andrew Gross of Newsday, the first unit is Matthew Schaefer, joined by Holmstrom, Horvat, Schenn and Palmieri.
The second unit is still quarterbacked by Tony DeAngelo, with Eklund, Heineman, Palat and Duclair. It will be interesting to see if Pageau is deployed to win faceoffs with this line lacking a natural center and then skates off the ice to be replaced by one of the wingers.
Already without one of their most important players, forward Mathew Barzal, the injury list has grown during the regular season. Barzal is working his way back from a knee ailment, but still has work to do, as he has yet to return to team activities.
At least he is on the way back; that is more than can be said about defenseman Alexander Romanov , who tore his ACL. He is going to be sidelined for 6 to 8 months. Since he has been absent from the lineup, the Islanders gave veteran Scott Mayfield a shot, but he has been replaced by Matthew Kessel on the No. 3 pairing alongside DeAngelo.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nhl/islanders/onsi as Calum Ritchie & Matias Maccelli Injuries Cause Major NY Islanders Line Changes .
