Mathew Barzal, a key forward for the New York Islanders, has returned to team practice, marking a significant positive development in his recovery from a knee injury. Barzal was on the ice with his teammates at the team's Long Island practice facility for the first time this season.
He had missed all of training camp and the team's first 14 games due to inflammation in his left knee. Barzal initially sustained the injury during the 2024-25 campaign. Despite the setback, he played in 81 of 82 games last season, leading the Islanders with 72 points, including 19 goals.
In addition to Barzal, defenseman Ryan Pulock (upper body) and forward Matias Maccelli (lower body) also participated in practice, skating in non-contact jerseys. All three players departed the ice when the contact portion of the session commenced.
The Islanders, holding a 7-5-2 record, are scheduled to face the East-leading Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night at UBS Arena.