Horvat missed the last five games with a lower-body injury, but will play Saturday vs. the Rangers. Horvat, who will be back on the top line with Jonathan Drouin and Emil Heineman, has 19 goals and 12 assists (31 points) in 32 games this season.
Rittich stopped 31 of 32 shots in the Islanders' 2-1 win over the Devils on Tuesday. Rittich has played very well in his last three starts, going 2-0-1 while stopping 92 of the 97 shots (.948 SV%) that he's faced. Tonight he'll face the Rangers on home-ice, where he's gone 6-1-1 with a 2.08 GAA, .923 SV% and one shutout this season.
Maxim Shabanov returns to New York's lineup on Tuesday against the New Jersey Devils, resulting in Tysplakov being a healthy scratch. After a solid first year in the NHL last season, scoring 35 points (10G / 25A) in 75 games, Tsyplakov has had a miserable 2025-26 season, with just one goal through 21 games.
Maxim Tsyplakov will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday, allowing Shabanov to re-enter the lineup. The 25-year-old Shabanov, a first-year NHLer, has 10 points (3G / 7A) in 23 games this season, but has just one assist in his last seven despite seeing a sizable increase in deployment over that time.
With Ilya Sorkin sidelined, tending to a nagging injury, Rittich will tend the twine for the Islanders on Tuesday against the New Jersey Devils. Rittich has been solid in a supporting role this season, posting a 2.54 GAA and .908 SV% in 12 games (7-3-2), and has elevated his play lately. The 33-year-old Czech goalie has a stellar 2.05 GAA and .926 SV% in his last seven games (4-1-2).
Horvat has not played since suffering a lower-body injury on December 11th, but could return on Saturday in the Islanders' first game back after the Holiday Break. Before his injury, the 30-year-old Horvat was having an outstanding offensive season, with 31 points (19G / 12A) in 32 games.
Sorokin has been solid lately, but will miss at least one game due to an undisclosed injury. The 30-year-old Sorokin has a 2.55 GAA and .910 SV% in 24 games this season (12-10-2). The Islanders have recalled Marcus Hogberg from Bridgeport (AHL), but David Rittich will likely see most of the action between the pipes during Sorokin's absence.
Ilya Sorokin is battling an undisclosed injury, prompting the recall of Hogberg from the Bridgeport Islanders (AHL). Sorokin is expected to return shortly after the holiday break, so it's unlikely that Hogberg sees much action, as David Rittich will likely occupy New York's crease.
Barzal is likely battling a nagging injury, as he was a game-time decision earlier this week as well, despite still drawing into the lineup. The 28-year-old Barzal is riding a five-game point streak, scoring five points (1G / 4A).
Barzal is likely battling a nagging injury, as he was a game-time decision earlier this week as well, despite still drawing into the lineup. The 28-year-old Barzal is riding a five-game point streak, scoring five points (1G / 4A), and hopes he will be able to suit up again on Friday against the Vancouver Canucks.
Boqvist has only played once in the last three weeks, but will return to the lineup on Friday against the Vancouver Canucks. The 25-year-old Boqvist is averaging 12:41 time-on-ice and has one assist in 11 games this season.
The Islanders fell to the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, with Sorokin allowing three unanswered goals on 21 shots (.857 SV%) in a 3-2 loss. Despite his most recent effort, Sorokin has been solid between the pipes for the Islanders, posting a 2.05 GAA and .930 SV% in his last 14 games (9-5-0). Sorokin and the Islanders will match up against a Vancouver Canucks team that has surprisingly outscored their opposition 5-1 in two games (2-0-0) since trading away their captain, Quinn Hughes.
Warren made his NHL debut earlier this season and tallied two assists in two games with New York. The 24-year-old defenseman has spent most of the season in the AHL, where he has 12 points (3G / 9A) in 17 games with the Bridgeport Islanders.
Mitchell has been a regular in New York's lineup the past two weeks, playing nine games this season, including his first career goal. The 26-year-old Mitchell returns to Bridgeport (AHL) where he has three points (0G / 3A) in 12 games this season
