Simon Holmstrom (upper body) will not play on Tuesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs, allowing Engvall to re-enter the lineup against his former team. The 28-year-old Engvall is averaging 12:41 time-on-ice and has seven points (3G / 4A) in 22 games this season.
The Islanders will be without Holmstrom on Tuesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs due to an upper-body injury and will welcome Engvall back into the lineup. The 23-year-old Holmstrom has 22 points (9G / 13A) in 37 games this season and has been one of the top offensive contributors for the Islanders lately. He has 12 points (6G / 6A) in his last 14 games.
Drouin has missed the last 16 games with an upper-body injury but will return to the lineup on Tuesday against the Winnipeg Jets. The 29-year-old Drouin has four points (2G / 2A) in five games this season. He was working with the top powerplay unit at practice on Monday.
Sorokin gave up six goals on 24 shots in the Islanders blowout loss to the Sabres on Monday. Sorokin has now given up three-plus goals in five consecutive starts, going 2-3-0 with a 4.54 GAA and .836 SV% during that stretch. Tonight he will face a Penguins team that has gone 9-3-1 while averaging 4.1 goals per game over their last 13 games.
Niko Mikkola will be out of the lineup due to an undisclosed injury, creating space for Boqvist to re-enter the lineup. The 24-year-old Boqvist has been limited to only 13 games this season, averaging 12:03 time-on-ice and scoring four points (2G / 2A).
On the final day before the holiday break, the Islanders will roll with Sorokin between the pipes for an 11th straight game. Sorokin saved 26 of 29 shots (.897 SV%) in Saturday's 6-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 29-year-old netminder has a 2.82 GAA and .903 SV% in 24 games this season (10-10-4), tarnished by his .856 SV% in his last four games (2-2-0). The Islanders enter Monday's contest as -147 home favorites against a reeling Buffalo Sabres squad amid a 13-game losing skid (0-10-3).
Colorado head coach Jared Bednar said Drouin is making improvements but still has no timeline for his return.
Duclair has not played since suffering a lower-body injury in mid-October but could return to the lineup on Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 30-year-old Duclair was signed in the offseason to add an offensive punch to a typically low-scoring Islanders club and was off to a solid start before his injury, with three points (2G / 1A) in five games.
Boqvist began the 2024-25 season with high hopes, lining up on the top powerplay unit for Florida, an experiment that quickly dissipated. The 24-year-old defenseman has been in and out of the lineup for the Panthers, limited to 13 games this season, scoring four points (2G / 2A).
Duclair has not played since suffering a lower-body injury in mid-October but could return to the lineup on Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 30-year-old Duclair was signed in the offseason to add an offensive punch to a typically low-scoring Islanders club and was off to a solid start, with three points (2G / 1A) in five games.
Marcus Hodberg has served as the backup to Ilya Sorokin the last several games, a trend that will continue until the new year as Varlamov will not be eligible to return until, at earliest, January 5th against the Boston Bruins. The 36-year-old Varlamov owns a 3-4-3 record and an .889 SV% in ten games this season.
Horvat did not play on Sunday but will return to the lineup on Tuesday against the Carolina Hurricanes. The 29-year-old Horvat is averaging 20:13 time-on-ice, scoring 22 points (8G / 14A) in 31 games this season.
