NY Islanders shuffling blueline ahead of game against the Vancouver Canucks

The New York Islanders are reshuffling their blue line again ahead of Friday night’s matchup with the Vancouver Canucks, with Marshall Warren recalled and Adam Boqvist set to return to the lineup.

Travis Mitchell was reassigned to Bridgeport on Wednesday, opening the door for Warren, who has already appeared in two games with the Islanders this season. For now, Warren will serve as the extra defenseman, while Boqvist draws back in on the left side of Scott Mayfield on the third pairing.

“We just try different things,” head coach Patrick Roy said after Thursday’s practice. “All year, since the start of the year, we said we’re going to try different things with our lines, and we do the same thing with our defensemen.”

The blue-line juggling began in earnest after Alexander Romanov went down with a season-ending injury. Boqvist, a natural right-shot defenseman, was asked to play his off side on the left, a transition Roy admitted was still a work in progress. That uncertainty opened the door for Mitchell, who earned a look and played well in his opportunities.

“We weren’t sure if [Boqvist] on the left side was a good fit,” Roy said. “That’s why we tried Mitchell there. I thought he played really well. We saw what Warren could do as well.”

Boqvist has now played eight games on his off side this season, with mixed results. His most recent appearance came Dec. 6 in Tampa Bay, the only game he has played over the past 10 contests.

“I feel like it’s tough for a righty on the left side,” Roy said. “I want to see how he handles passes, what he can do on the rush, his hands, netfront stuff. It’s an opportunity.”

Roy added that Boqvist’s approach behind the scenes helped earn him another look.

“He’s been great in practice, a great teammate, doing everything right,” Roy said. “I’m happy to see him play.”

Friday’s game will offer another evaluation point as the Islanders continue searching for the right defensive mix.