New York Islanders Might Be Without Casey Cizikas

New York Islanders Casey Cizikas might be missing time due to injury already. We hoped with the return of Matt Martin that he could stay healthy this season.

The New York Islanders are on the road for a four-game western swing. And it seems like center Casey Cizikas might miss out on the Islanders game against the Nashville Predators. The third line center was absent at practice on Friday with Barry Trotz indicating that Cizikas was day-to-day.

It’s not ideal. No injury is. With the return of Matt Martin to the New York Islanders, the trio of Martin, Cizikas, and Cal Clutterbuck was finally reunited. We were all hoping that Cizikas could return to the form that saw him put up 25 points in 2015-16 and 25 points in 2016-17.

The only thing standing in his way was going to be his health. Last year, Casey missed significant time due to injury. But now that Cizikas is potentially out (hopefully not for long), the Islanders find themselves with few options down the middle.

No Depth

With Casey Cizkias likely out of the lineup and with Jan Kovar gone, the New York Islanders have no depth down the middle. Stephen Gionta, who’s still around on a professional tryout is likely going to get a deal from the team and get the nod to fill Cizikias’s spot.

With the power of hindsight, you’d wish that Kovar would have stuck it out in the AHL for a few days. Had he still been around he would have been the guy to take the spot you’d have to think. Had Kovar decided to report to Bridgeport and try to fight for a spot he would have probably seen NHL time.

His decision to not report has to sting a little now that Cizikas is possibly out.

Hopefully, Case Cizikas will be fine and won’t miss any time. The Islanders have very little center depth with Cizikas in the lineup let alone without him.

If he does miss time you’d have to think that Valtteri Filppula steps into the third line center role while Stephen Gionta centers Komarov and Ladd. With Valtteri Filppula playing so well right now it’s probably the best time for such a move.

Hopefully, Casey Cizikas doesn’t miss any time and if he does that he isn’t out long. What that third line brings to the New York Islanders games is incredibly important.