New York Islanders head coach Lane Lambert disclosed prior to the homestand finale against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night that forwards Cal Clutterbuck and Kyle Palmieri, along with goaltender Semyon Varlamov, will travel with the team for an upcoming four-game western swing beginning on New Year’s Day in Seattle against the Kraken.
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Defenseman Adam Pelech along with forwards Oliver Wahlstrom and Simon Holmstrom will not travel with the Islanders, who also make stops in Vancouver, Edmonton, and Calgary before returning home for a Jan. 10 matchup with the Dallas Stars.
Palmieri and Clutterbuck were placed on injured reserve on Dec. 16 and Varlamov a day later. The trio are unavailable for Thursday night’s matchup with the Blue Jackets at UBS Arena. For Palmieri, it’s been a sizable spell on the Islanders injury report having missed each of the last six games and 16 of the last 17.
The decision to keep Wahlstrom, Pelech, and Holmstrom home is an expected one. Pelech and Wahlstrom are dealing with upper-body injuries that are most likely concerning the head. The Islanders did not divulge whether or not the two had suffered concussions.
Pelech’s head crashed into the boards during a Dec. 6 game against the St. Louis Blues before Wahlstrom was sent into the boards by a dangerous hit on Tuesday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Holmstrom is nursing an undisclosed lower-body injury after suffering a knee-to-knee hit administered by Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett.
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