DETROIT — The Islanders’ COVID-19 woes are not over.
Coach Barry Trotz announced top-line center Mathew Barzal has been placed in COVID-19 protocol before Tuesday night’s game against the Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena. Barzal was the only Islander not to participate in the team’s morning skate.
Barzal is the ninth Islander to test positive since Josh Bailey became the first on Nov. 16. The other eight — Bailey, Anders Lee, Ross Johnston, Kieffer Bellows, Casey Cizikas and defensemen Adam Pelech, Zdeno Chara and Andy Greene — have all returned to the lineup.
Before Barzal, Cizikas was the last to test positive on Nov. 27.
The Islanders had games against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 28 and at Philadelphia on Nov. 30 postponed because of their COVID-19 outbreak.
Barzal could miss the five games leading into the NHL’s holiday break from Dec. 24-26 if he remains in quarantine for the full 10 days.
“We’ve had a lot of guys that have had it so you should be good for at least 90 days,” Trotz said. “At least half our team is pretty good, I think. I think we’ve been doing everything in terms of all the protocols that we need to do. It’s a virus. Someone picked it up and we move on.”
