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Kyle MacLean has patiently waited the season’s first three weeks to get into the Islanders lineup. Tuesday night against Anaheim his chance came with the Islanders needing reinforcement following injuries to Calum Ritchie and Matias Maccelli.
“I’m just excited to get going,” MacLean told The Post before the 3-2 win. “I feel like I’ve been working, staying patient. Never like to see injuries, but definitely excited for this opportunity and looking forward to being in the lineup.”
MacLean and Mitchell Chaffee both played their first games of the season — Chaffee having been called up on an emergency basis from AHL Hamilton on Monday — as the Islanders rostered just 12 healthy forwards.
“I thought they did a great job,” DeBoer said of the pair, which formed either side of a fourth line centered by Casey Cizikas. “I didn’t have to hide them. They had some shifts against their big guys. I thought they gave us energy, they gave us some physicality. Some really good puck-possession shifts, especially in the third period.”
The trio resembles a more traditional fourth line than the Islanders have gone with for much of the season, but the presumed straight-line and defensive style of hockey they’ll play is likely to run counter to coach Pete DeBoer’s preference that all four lines contribute scoring.
Chaffee does have a bit more scoring in his history, with 12 goals for the Lightning in 2024-25 and point-per-game production in the AHL, but he struggled in an 11-game stint with Tampa last season.
Still, a workmanlike fourth line has its uses.
MacLean, at his most effective, fits well alongside Cizikas, bringing a similar mindset and puck retrieval ability. Chaffee seems to have similar qualities as well.
“He’s a good worker. He’s a strong player too and he’s got a really good shot — he’s pretty lethal when he gets it off,” MacLean said of Chaffee. “I think what we saw [in training camp] is he’s a good worker. I think he’s gonna complement Casey great. Be good on the forecheck, be hard on pucks and he’s got a good, sneaky shot too.”
DeBoer said the Islanders are dealing with “ambiguity” around Mat Barzal’s recovery when asked whether something had happened to change what was optimistic framing by the club around his return a month ago.
“I just think injuries are different. If you have a broken bone, it’s a really clear timeline: 4-6 weeks or whatever it is,” DeBoer said. “I think with what he’s dealing with, there’s more ambiguity. And I think that’s what you’re seeing, and that’s what we’re dealing with.”
When DeBoer was asked a follow-up, a team spokesman said Mathieu Darche would soon be made available to speak on Barzal’s injury.