After playing two straight games, his first this season, Hutton will be a healthy scratch, replaced by Samuel Bolduc. Hutton saw limited action in his first two games, averaging 8:46 time-on-ice, playing predominantly on the third defensive pair with Mike Reilly.
Grant Hutton will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Bolduc to re-enter the Islanders' lineup for their matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes. Bolduc has been used conservatively this season, averaging only 9:55 time-on-ice through 11 games. He has zero points, six blocks, and seven hits this season.
Over the past month, Varlamov has started one of every three games for the Islanders, a trend that will likely continue on Thursday as Varalamov was in the starter's crease at the morning skate. Varlamov has a tremendous 2.30 GAA and .930 SV% through seven games this season, totals positively inflated from a strong start to the season. The 35-year-old goaltender hasn't been nearly as dominant in recent games, allowing three or more goals in four straight outings (1-2-1) and posting a .893 SV%. The Islanders are +179 road underdogs against the Carolina Hurricanes, who have won two straight and rank 12th in the league offensively (3.33 GF / GP).
Matt Martin has not played since November 15th and was a game-time decision on Tuesday after being activated from the injured reserve. In 14 games this season, Martin had two points (1G / 1A) and 31 hits while averaging 8:27 time-on-ice., the lowest total of his career since averaging 7:59 in the 2017-18 season.
Sorokin is coming off a rare shutout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday, in which he saved all 40 shots he faced. In his last five games (2-1-2), Sorokin has saved 176 of 189 shots (.931 SV%) and seems to be trending toward the Vezina-caliber form he has displayed over the last several seasons. Sorokin will need to be at his finest on Tuesday as the Islanders are +140 road underdogs against a New Jersey Devils team coming off a dominant 7-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres.
Sorokin is coming off a rare shutout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday, in which he saved all 40 shots he faced. In his last five games (2-1-2), Sorokin has saved 176 of 189 shots (.931 SV%) and seems to be trending toward the Vezina-caliber form he has displayed over the last several seasons. Sorokin will need to be at his finest on Tuesday as the Islanders are +140 road underdogs against a New Jersey Devils team coming off a dominant 7-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres.
Matt Martin has not played since November 15th and will be a game-time decision on Tuesday after being activated from the injured reserve. In 14 games this season, Martin had two points (1G / 1A) and 31 hits while averaging 8:27 time-on-ice., the lowest total of his career since averaging 7:59 in the 2017-18 season.
Perunovich was a healthy scratch yesterday but played in eight straight games before that, scoring two points (0G / 2A) in his last three. He is expected to skate alongside Marco Scandella on the Blues' third defensive pair.
Sorokin will return to the Islanders' crease after backup Semyon Varlamov got the nod for Friday's game in Ottawa. Sorokin is coming off one of his best starts of the season, denying 34 of the 36 shots he faced in Wednesday's 3-2 victory over the Flyers. The 28-year-old netminder owns a 5-3-4 record on the year to go along with his .909 SV% and 3.21 GAA.
Hutton has five assists, 14 PIMs and a -5 plus/minus through 16 games with Bridgeport (AHL) to start the season but has been recalled to the New York Islanders Saturday. The 28-year-old is expected to make his first NHL appearance since 2021-22 as he replaces Sebastian Aho (lower body) in the Islanders' lineup.
Reilly carries a $1 million cap hit for the 2023-24 season and has been claimed by the New York Islanders Saturday after being placed on waivers from the Florida Panthers. The 30-year-old defensemen has not been able to get it going this year due to consistent healthy scratches as he has yet to put up a point to go along with seven SOG and two PIMs in two games this season.
Martin has missed the Islanders' previous four games due to an upper-body injury and was placed on the injured reserve Saturday. The 34-year-old bruising winger had been enjoying a slow start to his 2023-24 season, with a goal, as assist, 11 SOG, and seven PIMs in 14 games played prior to the injury.
Pelech suffered an upper-body injury on Friday and was placed on LTIR on Saturday. The move means that Pelech will miss 10 games/24 days and opens up $5.75M in cap-space for them to make some call-ups to replace Pelech and maybe Sebastian Aho, who was also injured on Friday.
The Islanders lost both Pelech and Sebastian Aho on Friday, and both are questionable to play Saturday. Depending on their availability, the Islanders may be forced to make some roster moves in order to have six defensemen.
