The New York Islanders have announced that they have placed forward Casey Cizikas on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. The move is retroactive to October 8th. In a corresponding move, they have recalled Oliver Wahlstrom from the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
Islanders Casey Cizikas placed on IR, Recall Wahlstrom
#Isles Transaction: Casey Cizikas has been placed on IR (retroactive to 10/8/19) with a lower body injury. Oliver Wahlstrom has been recalled from loan (Bridgeport). https://t.co/GqUkhl5uhL
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) October 14, 2019
In three games this season, Cizikas has recorded one assist and four penalty minutes.
Cizikas is entering the eighth full season with the Islanders this season. In 489 games, he has produced 64 goals and 94 assists for 158 points. He has also recorded 198 penalty minutes.
Cizikas was originally drafted in the fourth round, 92nd overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.
His replacement Oliver Wahlstrom has yet to play an NHL game for the Islanders. However, in nine AHL games for Bridgeport, Wahlstrom has accumulated three goals and three assists. He also scored two goals and two assists in five playoff games for the Sound Tigers last season.
Wahlstrom was drafted in the first round, 11th overall in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.
Golden Opportunity for Wahlstrom
While nobody likes to see a player get injured or use that as a way to make the NHL, this is a golden opportunity for Wahlstrom. Wahlstrom is one of the Islanders top prospects and was recently listed in the Ben Kerr’s top 100 prospect in the NHL.
While it is not yet determined where Wahlstrom will slot into the lineup, he is best suited in the top-six. Wahlstrom has a variety of offensive tools in his repitoire including an outstanding shot. Islanders fans have surely dreamed of him being fed by the club’s top player Mathew Barzal since the youngster was drafted and we could potentially get see this happen in the coming days.
Wahlstrom has already showed the ability to play with the pros as he is handling himself extremely well at the AHL level. However, that does not always translate to the NHL. However, Wahlstrom has the tools to become a top six player at the NHL level. If he suceeds in his first stint in the NHL, he may just be told to start looking for a permanent recidence in New York.
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