Oliver Wahlstrom Expected to Return to Islanders Lineup

The New York Islanders received some good news before their game tonight in San Jose. They are getting their young forward, Oliver Wahlstrom back from injury. Barry Trotz confirmed today that Wahlstrom will be back in the lineup.

Wahlstrom last played in the game against Boston but saw limited ice time playing just 9:47 in the team's win. As an indication in warmups, he will be playing with Anders Lee and JG Pageau on the third line and it appears that Josh Bailey is the odd man out at forward.

If that's the case the Islanders are expected to roll these lines:

Parise - Barzal - Palmieri

Bellows - Nelson - Beauvillier

Lee - Pageau - Wahlstrom

Martin - Cizikas - Clutterbuck

With Zach Parise's play and the resurgence of Kyle Palmieri it makes sense to put them back up top with Mathew Barzal for the time being. I'm excited to see what a line of Lee - Pageau - Wahlstrom looks like on the ice, I'm confident in that combination being pretty solid.

With Wahlstrom back in the mix, the Isles are going to need for him to find his scoring touch again something he got a little cold with before the injury. He has just two goals in the last 20 games. Granted, he has eight assists in that span keeping him from being completely ineffective but the Isles still need more from him.

It'll be weird to see Josh Bailey out of the lineup in favor of both Kieffer Bellows and Oliver Wahlstrom but it's the right call from Barry. Those two have just been better and until proven otherwise, that's what he should run out there.