Islanders’ Pageau out with lower-body injury, Maccelli, Pulock return to lineup

The New York Islanders will have a reshuffled lineup for Thursday’s road game against the Los Angeles Kings.

The Islanders have announced that forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau will miss Thursday’s game with a lower-body injury, while forward Matias Maccelli and defenseman Ryan Pulock will return.

Pageau, 34, has a goal and seven assists for eight points in 17 games this season. The exact cause or nature of his injury is unclear, but he missed practice on Tuesday for a “maintenance day.”

The Ottawa native is in his seventh full season in New York after being acquired from the Ottawa Senators in February of 2020 in exchange for multiple draft picks. He is in the first season of a three-year, $14.55 million contract.

Maccelli, 26, has missed the Islanders last nine games after suffering a lower-body injury during New York’s 4-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 17. In eight games played this season, the Finnish national has notched two goals and four assists for six points.

The Islanders signed Maccelli to a one-year, $2.25 million contract this past offseason. He spent last season with the Maple Leafs, where he notched 14 goals and 25 assists for 39 points in 71 games.

Pulock, 32, has missed New York’s last four games after suffering an upper-body injury during the Islanders’ 4-3 overtime win against the Minnesota Wild on October 29. The Dauphin, Manitoba native has no goals and an assist in 13 games this season, while averaging about 17 and a half minutes of ice time. He is in the fifth season of an eight-year, $49.2 million contract.

With 18 points through 17 games, New York sits in fifth place in the Metropolitan Division. After Thursday’s game in Los Angeles, the Islanders will continue their six-game road trip against the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday.