NY Islanders provide injury update to defenseman Adam Pelech; Martin to IR

The New York Islanders were able to overcome losing defensemen Adam Pelech and Sebastian Aho early in Friday night's 5-3 win over the Ottawa Senators. On Saturday afternoon, we learned they'll have face aversitity on their blue line for a a longer as the team announced that Pelech would be placed Long-Term Injured Reserve (LTIR). We are still awaiting whether Aho will be available for tonight's game at UBS Arena against the Philadelphia Flyers.

When placed on LTIR, a player must be expected to miss at least 10 NHL Games AND 24 days of the NHL season. The earliest Pelech can return is the Dec. 20 game versus the Washington Capitals.

The injury occurred in the first period when Pelech was hit by Senators forward Drake Batherson when going to retrieve the puck behind the net. The team is calling it an "upper-body" as Pelech left the ice holding what appeared to be his left wrist. Pelech missed three games earlier this season following a hip injury suffered in the team's 3-0 win in Washington on Nov. 2.

Samuel Bolduc will take Pelech's place in the lineup as the team's seventh defenseman. If Aho misses time, the Islanders will need to recall a defenseman from Bridgeport. The 29-year-old Pelech has no goals and three assists in 16 games this season, averaging 19:38 TOI. Most recently, he's been playing alongside Noah Dobson as head coach Lane Lambert has separated Pelech from Ryan Pulock.

As for Matt Martin, he goes on IR with an upper-body injury retroactive to Nov. 15. The fourth-line forward has been skating on his own, but has yet to be a full participant with the team. Hudson Fasching has taken his spot on the line with Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck and has played well in Martin's absence.