Nelson & Chara Miss Game Thursday, Non-COVID Illness

On Tuesday night, the New York Islanders welcomed Jean-Gabriel Pageau back into the lineup as he was activated off the COVID-19 list. But when there’s a positive, there has always been a negative for the New York Islanders this season.

Prior to the contest against the Washington Capitals, the New York Islanders announced that forward Brock Nelson and defenseman Zdeno Chara would not play due to a non-COVID illness.

The Islanders had been dealing with COVID-19 as mentioned above, so the fact that this is not a COVID illness means that both players have the ability to return to the lineup before the season ends.

Over the last week or so, the stomach bug has made its way around the New York Islanders locker room.

It started with goaltender Semyon Varlamov missing a few games, along with Grant Hutton. Could this be related?

Regardless, both players were out of the lineup, and although the New York Islanders are not playing for much, both players have things to play for.

The Islanders were also without forward Anthony Beauvillier for the fourth-straight game as he is dealing with an upper-body injury and is considered day-to-day.

Brock Nelson currently has 36 goals on the season (a career-high), and reaching the 30-goal mark became a bit tougher. If he is ready to play Thursday, he will have Tuesday to reach the mark.

For Zdeno Chara, this is likely his last week in the National Hockey League.

The 45-year-old defenseman broke the record this season for most games played by a defenseman in NHL history, passing Chris Chelios to sit alone with 1,652nd NHL games played back on Feb. 24 against the San Jose Sharks.

Hopefully, for Chara’s sake, he is able to get back in the lineup before the season ends on Friday against the Tampa Bay Lightning.