Islanders Clean Out Day: Varlamov Trying, Injury Updates, and Final Words

EAST MEADOW, N.Y. — The New York Islanders held the season-end player availabilities inside Northwell Health Ice Center Saturday morning. The biggest news came by way of Semyon Varlamov’s injury updates.

Varlamov’s Status:

Varlamov revealed he suffered a knee injury, but it came from “something that has been bothering me for a long time,” and Varlamov said eventually, he and the team doctors decided he should undergo a knee procedure in December.

As for his recovery since? “I’ve been doing the rehab and then everything I can to get back on the ice. But, unfortunately, it’s just taking longer this time, and then this is just how it goes. Sometimes it takes a month to recover, sometimes it takes much longer. So this is my case.”

Varlamov went on to say he hopes it’s not something that’ll bother him in the future. He hopes to be ready for training camp. It’s massive news for the Islanders, as some darker rumors went around that the injury could be career-ending. Varlamov put a stop to that.

Barzal Update:

Additionally, the injured Mathew Barzal met with the media this morning. He missed 52 games this season, suffering two major injuries, including what turned out to be a season-ending knee injury on February 1.

Barzal opened up to the media and said how hard this entire process became mentally for him. He said he ramped up hard as the team closed in on a playoff spot in mid-March, but as things spiraled down, he slowed down and turned his focus to next season.

He emphasized his belief in the group, and thought “the boys,” as he put it, “Everyone stepped up… everyone gave it everything they had every night. ”

Other Notes:

Ryan Pulock confirmed suspicions that he played through the same upper-body injury down the stretch, one that affected his play.

Alexander Romanov said he “broke the cartilage” between his ribs, and it affected his play during stretches of the season, but he did not want to make any excuses.

Scott Mayfield admitted frustration with being removed from the lineup, but said he’s unable to control that. Made it a point to say he’s under contract for a few more seasons here, and he’s not worried about his future.

Barzal and Varlamov aside, every player, including Ilya Sorokin, said they’ve got a clean bill of health heading into the summer. That’s something some players did not have last season.

Anthony Duclair, who left the team after Head Coach Patrick Roy publicly ripped him, did not meet with the media.

Romanov said he wants to be an Islander “As long as possible,” while Tony DeAngelo, Maxim Tsyplakov, Hudson Fasching, and Simon Holmstrom confirmed they’d like to stay. Noah Dobson, who changed agents mid-year, played a little coy.

Asked whether he prefers a bridge deal or a long-term contract, Dobson said, “I think [I’m] open to anything. Obviously, it’s got to work for both sides. With things changing around the league [rising cap], there’s obviously lots of options and I think now is the time where we’ll kind of sit down with me and my agents and we’ll figure out what’s best and then talk to the team and Lou and what’s best from there and try and come together.”