Emil Heineman Ejected for Hit, Islanders Face Potential Suspension Uncertainty
New York Islanders forward Emil Heineman received a major penalty and game misconduct for a knee-on-knee hit on Isaac Howard, raising concerns about a potential suspension.
Emil Heineman of the New York Islanders was ejected from Saturday's game against the Edmonton Oilers just 2:22 into the first period following a knee-to-knee hit on Isaac Howard. The penalty, a major and game misconduct, could lead to a suspension.
Despite the Islanders' contention that the infraction was not initially called on the ice, the penalty was deemed appropriate. This incident marks the second consecutive game where an Islanders player exited early due to injury, following Ryan Pulock's departure from Thursday's game in Minnesota. The team struggled offensively in Saturday's 4-0 loss to the Oilers.
"I was surprised it was upheld as a major, yeah," Islanders coach Pete DeBoer said. "But again, I haven’t looked at it that closely."
Heineman did not speak to the media postgame, a common practice for players ejected from games. His teammates offered support, with Jean-Gabriel Pageau stating, "We haven’t had a chance to really see the hit. Obviously we hope the other guy’s all right. I know there’s no intention behind that. Heiny’s someone that plays hard and he’s always clean."
Oilers coach Mike Babcock indicated that Howard's injury might not be as severe as it initially appeared. "We don’t think, Howard, it’s as serious as it looked," Babcock said. "We’re hoping for a real good kind of recovery day for him tomorrow."
The Islanders face roster challenges should Heineman be suspended, as they currently have only 12 healthy forwards. Prospects in their AHL Hamilton system are also dealing with injuries, limiting immediate call-up options. Forward Liam Foudy might be considered, but prospects like Quinn Finley, Cole Eiserman, and Daniil Prokhorov are not deemed NHL-ready.
In other injury news, Ryan Pulock was undergoing further assessment for an upper-body injury sustained Thursday. Matias Maccelli is skating as he recovers from a lower-body injury, while Calum Ritchie remains off the ice with a lower-body issue. Mathew Barzal is skating but has no clear timeline for return from inflammation in his left kneecap.