Just a few games into the regular season, the New York Islanders are already down one of their most important players.
Defenseman Alexander Romanov left Tuesday’s game vs. the New York Rangers with a knee injury, and he didn’t return as the Islanders lost 5-2. It turns out, Romanov’s injury was much more serious than it initially seemed, which leaves the Islanders without Romanov for the forseeable future.
With Romanov out, the Islanders now have to find a way to fill his shoes for the second consecutive season, putting the team in an early injury hole. While Matthew Schaefer remains the team’s brightest star, the Islanders have need the players around him on the ice to help take the next step forward.
Here’s a look at Romanov’s injury status.
Alexander Romanov injury update
On Wednesday, the Islanders announced that Alexander Romanov suffered a torn ACL in his right knee that will require surgery and sideline him for 6-8 months. That timeline puts his return somewhere between March and May. which means he could miss the rest of the season depending on how his rehab goes.
Romanov suffered the injury in New York’s game on Tuesday night against the Rangers, as it occurred on what appeared to be a pretty innocuous play.
Alexander Romanov tore his ACL on this play last night. Devastating. #Isles https://t.co/wJPHeJAGvv
— Rob Taub (@RTaub_) October 7, 2026
This will mark the second-straight season that Romanov misses significant time with an injury. Last year, Romanov played in just 15 games after he suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery in November, which led to a months-long recovery that cost him the majority of the year.
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Alexander Romanov stats
| Year | Team | Games | Goals | Assists | Points | +/- |
| 2020-21 | Canadiens | 54 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 1 |
| 2021-22 | Canadiens | 79 | 3 | 10 | 13 | -9 |
| 2022-23 | Islanders | 76 | 2 | 20 | 22 | 13 |
| 2023-24 | Islanders | 81 | 7 | 15 | 22 | 23 |
| 2024-25 | Islanders | 64 | 4 | 16 | 20 | 5 |
| 2025-26 | Islanders | 15 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -7 |
| 2026-27 | Islanders | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Romanov has been one of the Islanders’ most reliable defensemen since he arrived in New York in 2022, as he recorded at least 20 points in his first three seasons. However, he has now suffered major injuries in back-to-back seasons, as its likely he will end this season having played just 18 games since the start of the 2025-26 campaign.
