The New York Islanders are off to a rollercoaster start to the 2025-26 NHL season. After losing the first three games, they won four straight to bounce above .500. They have now lost two in a row, with a divisional back-to-back coming up. The Islanders will be without Mathew Barzal for the first leg against the Carolina Hurricanes. Newsday's Andrew Gross reports on the peculiar reason for Barzal's benching.
“He was late this morning here,” head coach Patrick Roy told the media, per Gross. “So that’s the culture of our team, and we made the decision to not play him tonight. Barzy doesn’t feel good about it, but you respect the decision. He understands it. He was really good about it. Absolutely no one here is mad at Barzy. It’s just the culture that we put in place. We’re a team. We stick together
Barzal is off to a nice start to the season, with two goals and six assists in nine games. But the face of the Islanders' franchise does not get a pass in Roy's book. He will sit in an important game on Thursday against the Hurricanes because he was late to morning skate. But his replacement already has Islanders fans excited.
“Hearing Cal Ritchie will make his NYI debut in place of Barzal, who was late to rink today,” Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported.
Ritchie was the key return piece in the Brock Nelson trade at the 2025 NHL trade deadline. The Islanders sent him to the American Hockey League after a strong preseason from the former first-round pick. Ritchie is a center that will be a key part of the future of the organization. After battling through two injuries already this season, he is ready to make his Islanders debut.
Roy confirmed to reporters that Barzal will play on Friday against the Washington Capitals. Ritchie will play in his eighth NHL game and first with New York.
