Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov is staring down another long stretch on the sidelines, with the team announcing Wednesday he’s out a staggering 6-8 months after tearing the ACL in his right knee. It’s an absolute gut punch for the 26-year-old and a brutal start to October for the Islanders.
How It Went Down on Tuesday Night
The injury struck Tuesday night during a 5-2 loss to the Rangers, and it looked ugly. Romanov got tangled up with Mika Zibanejad during the third period, and that was it for him. He didn’t even play the final 12 minutes of the game. Now, he’s set to undergo surgery, kicking off a recovery that’s going to keep him off the ice for the better part of a year.
A Crushing Pattern and a Costly Contract
What makes this even tougher to swallow is that this isn’t Romanov’s first rodeo with a long-term injury. This is the second consecutive season he’s been sidelined by something major. Last November, a shoulder injury from a hit by Dallas’ Mikko Rantanen knocked him out for five straight months. Think about that: another season, another massive chunk missed. He signed a monster eight-year, $50 million contract in the summer of 2025, but counting the three games he played this fall, he’s only actually skated in a total of 18 since putting pen to paper on that deal. That’s a huge contract for someone who’s spent more time healing than playing.
Romanov is facing a long, tough road ahead to get back to full strength. He’ll have that surgery soon, and then it’s just rehab, rehab, rehab. What a brutal break for a guy who just can’t seem to stay on the ice.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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