Mat Barzal, Anthony Duclair, and Adam Pelech all return to Islanders practice in full-contact jerseys

Today was a good day at NY Islanders practice. After playing with a depleted roster for over a month, Adam Pelech, Mat Barzal, and Anthony Duclair returned to the ice, without non-contact jerseys.

Pelech has been practicing with the team for a few days now wearing a non-contact jersey and a full face shield, as Barzal and Duclair have been skating on tehir own. But now with all three back in the mix, the Isles are close to returning to full strength for the first time in a while

Barzal, Duclair, and Pelech back at practice

"It's [exciting] for everybody," Head Coach Patrick Roy said. "It just tells you that they're getting closer and closer to get back in the lineup. It's funny sometimes when those injuries happen, you feel like they'll never come back. But now they're close to returning as I think it's a good feeling for everybody."

The Islanders have struggled to score goals all season, sitting 29th in the league in goals per game at 2.53, and could use a boost from Barzal and Duclair who were both part of the first line with Bo Horvat at the start of the season.

It doesn't appear if any of the three will be part of the lineup tonight, as Barzal and Duclair were not part of line rushes, while Pelech skated as an extra with Grant Hutton.

The Isles will need to do some roster shuffling once their injured players are officially activated to become cap-compliant, with the futures of Oliver Wahlstrom, Hudson Fasching, and Pierre Engvall hanging in the balance as members of the Islanders.