inside the islanders How Alexander Romanov’s injury puts the Islanders in a bind now — and in the future By Ethan Sears Published Oct. 8, 2026, 6:40 a.m. ET Alexander Romanov (right) skates down the ice during the Islanders' 5-2 loss to the Rangers on Oct. 6, 2026. AP Photo/Frank Franklin II The short-term impact of Alexander Romanov’s injury should become obvious by the time you’re reading this, as we’ll see how the Islanders line up without him on Thursday morning.
Though it would be somewhat surprising if the immediate plan included Kashawn Aitcheson, losing a left-handed defenseman for the season carries the implication that the Islanders’ top defense prospect could be called up sooner than anticipated as well.
Where the devastating news that Romanov tore his ACL on Tuesday night truly puts the Islanders in a bind — and where the answer is a lot less obvious — is over the long term.
Barring an exceptionally quick recovery, Romanov’s no-trade clause will kick in on July 1, 2027, with him having played just 18 games over two seasons and under contract for six more with an annual cap hit of $6.25 million. That number is right in the sweet spot where it would be an excellent, team-friendly deal if Romanov, 26, is a reliable top-four defenseman and a fairly large issue if he is not.
