Simon Holmstrom expected to return vs Rangers, David Rittich expected to start, Ryan Pulock skates with team
The New York Islanders had some new faces at morning skate on Wednesday, as defenseman Carson Soucy and forward Ondrej Palat skated with their new team.
Ondrej Palat – Bo Horvat – Emil Heineman
Jonathan Drouin – Mathew Barzal – Anthony Duclair
Anders Lee – JG Pageau – Simon Holmstrom
Kyle MacLean – Casey Cizikas – Marc Gatcomb
Matthew Schaefer – Scott Mayfield
Adam Pelech – Tony DeAngelo
Carson Soucy – Adam Boqvist
Palat will start with Bo Horvat and Emil Heineman in his Islanders debut. Head Coach Patrick Roy said Palat’s two-way play made him feel comfortable playing with Horvat – another good two-way player – and that Palat’s play has complemented scorers in the past, citing his prior experience with Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point.
“I like his 200 foot game,” Roy said. “He can play well offensively, play well defensively. I think that’s going to help Bo a lot. [Palat’s] solid along the wall, and he’ll go to the net.
“He did that in the past with Point and Kucherov,” Roy added. “I’m not saying it’s going to be the exact same thing, but he did that, he has that experience, and hopefully that’s going to click for us.”
Welcome to the Island! pic.twitter.com/efiX06Hmd7
Head Coach Patrick Roy said Simon Holmstrom is expected to return to the lineup after missing Monday’s game with an illness.
Max Shabanov is expected to come out of the lineup on Wednesday with the addition of Palat. Roy said the decision was due in part to wanting to keep the line of Kyle MacLean, Casey Cizikas and Marc Gatcomb intact.
David Rittich was the first goalie off the ice at morning skate and is expected to start on Wednesday night. Rittich recorded a 27-save shutout against the Rangers on Dec. 27. He is 11-7-3 this season with a 2.57 GAA, a .902 SV% and two shutouts, but is looking to snap a three-game winless stretch (0-2-1). With Rittich playing on Wednesday, Ilya Sorokin is the likely starter for Thursday’s rematch against the Rangers at MSG.
Numbers for the new guys! pic.twitter.com/1TMAtlqCBf
Ryan Pulock (upper body) skated with the Islanders on Wednesday, marking his first session with the team since the Jan. 21 game against the Seattle Kraken. Pulock skated as an extra defenseman, and is considered to be a game-time decision on Wednesday per Islanders General Manager and EVP Mathieu Darche.
Cal Ritchie did not participate in Wednesday’s morning skate, as he is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Darche called it a tweak and said he did not think it was anything serious, but didn’t have a definitive timeline.
“I can’t tell you if it’ll be one day, or one week, but it’s nothing major,” Darche said.
Snapshots from the New York Islanders morning skate on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026 ahead of a matchup against the New York Rangers. Photos by Dennis DaSilva/New York Islanders.
Spencer Martin is expected to start in goal for the Rangers. Martin is 1-2-0 this season for the Rangers with a 3.90 GAA, and an .865 SV%. Martin is 0-3-0 lifetime against the Islanders with a 4.79 GAA and an .857 SV%, but hasn’t played the Isles since Dec. 7, 2023 with Columbus.
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