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Mat Barzal, an essential player for the New York Islanders, will likely miss the start of the upcoming season after aggravating a prior knee injury and causing inflammation, forcing him out of training camp for at least two weeks. The team’s statement suggests that although Barzal is committed to getting healthy, his exact return date remains uncertain. This comes shortly after he withdrew from Canada’s World Championships in May due to an undisclosed minor, preexisting injury related possibly to the same knee issue that required surgery and ended his previous season prematurely.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-17,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The New York Islanders face a significant setback as star player Mat Barzal will likely miss the start of the upcoming season due to an aggravated knee injury that caused inflammation. The team announced on the eve of training camp that Barzal won’t be allowed to skate for two weeks, which aligns with the NHL's opening night set for September 30 in Toronto. Given the timeline and the fact that beginning to skate does not equate to returning to play, it appears he will miss time at the start of the year, though the exact duration remains unclear.
Barzal, who played all 81 games last season despite dealing with a kneecap issue requiring surgery, emphasized on breakup day that managing his body was crucial throughout the year. The Islanders released a statement saying Barzal is working diligently to regain full health and will return as soon as possible.
Written for “Nhl Injury Concerns” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 14424 · logged 2026-09-17
The Islanders will open training camp without Mat Barzal — and it looks like the season as well.
asserted
it → open → season
Barzal won’t skate for the next two weeks after aggravating a prior injury, causing inflammation, the Islanders announced on the eve of training camp.
asserted
Islanders → skate → camp
Given that opening night in Toronto is Sept. 30, exactly two weeks from Wednesday, and that beginning to skate does not equate to returning to play, it seems that he will miss time to start the year as well, though how much is not clear.
asserted
much → give → year
“He is actively working to get back to full health.
asserted
He → work → health
There is nobody more committed than Mathew to getting his body to the level where he thrives on the ice,” the Islanders said in a statement.
asserted
Islanders → be → statement
“We expect him to continue getting healthy and back in the lineup as soon as possible.”
asserted
him → expect → lineup
While Barzal played 81 games last year and was never injured enough to miss games, he dealt with issues behind the scenes related to a kneecap problem that required surgery, ending his 2024-25 season.
asserted
that → play → season
“Obviously with my injury there was stuff all year that I had to work through,” Barzal said on breakup day.
asserted
Barzal → be → day
“But every second of my day, really, off days or when we weren’t playing was just about managing my body.
asserted
we → play → body
That’s just how I am.
asserted
I → ’ → ?
Thank you
“Injuries like I had usually take a year or two years to really start to settle in and feel normal again.
asserted
Injuries → thank → year
I definitely had my own program of staying healthy.
asserted
I → have → program
I could have played every game this year.”
uncertain
I → play → game
The Islanders did not indicate in their statement whether this is related, and a team spokesman didn’t respond to a text asking.
asserted
spokesman → indicate → text
Barzal initially committed to play for Team Canada at World Championships last spring, but pulled out in what Hockey Canada said was “a precaution due to a minor, preexisting injury.”
asserted
Canada → commit → injury
At that time, the Islanders released a statement saying Barzal was expected to be ready for camp.
asserted
Barzal → release → camp
The nature of that injury was undisclosed as well, making it unclear whether it was related to his knee.
uncertain
it → make → knee
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