Islanders Move Casey Cizikas To IR; Recall Kyle MacLean From Bridgeport

Casey Cizikas has missed each of the last four games for the New York Islanders, and now it appears he’ll be forced to miss even more.

The team officially announced on Wednesday afternoon that they’ve placed the veteran center on injured reserve with a lower-body injury retroactive to Jan. 9. In a related move, they’ve recalled forward Kyle MacLean from the Bridgeport Islanders of the AHL.

Cizikas exited the Islanders’ game against the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 9 after blocking a Filip Hronek slapshot off the outside of his left knee.

Casey Cizikas took a rocket from Filip Hronek right off the leg. Ouch. pic.twitter.com/LGiw223IVX

— Rob Taub (@RTaub_) January 10, 2024

In 39 games this season, Cizikas has 11 points with six goals while while an average of 13:30 of ice time per game.

Since the date of Cizikas’ injury is retroactive to Jan. 9, he’s eligible to return to the Islanders lineup as soon as he’s able.

Initially, the Islanders declared Cizikas as week-to-week and opted to shuffle their lines in the interim while he was on the shelf. However, the results with those lines haven’t been fruitful.

Since Cizikas went down, the Islanders are 1-4-0 and have lost three straight, including a 4-2 contest to the Winnipeg Jets last night.

Now that Cizikas will likely be out for longer than originally anticipated, the team is making a move that will act as a much more substantial solution for the long term.

A natural center, MacLean has the player profile that’s typical of a fourth-line player in the NHL.

In 36 games for the Bridgeport Islanders, the 24-year-old has 19 points with six goals and has spent a lot of time on the shorthanded unit. He is the son of Islanders assistant coach John MacLean.

Kyle MacLean will likely make his NHL debut when the Islanders take on the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday.

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