Alexander Romanov, Islanders Defenseman, Will Miss Several Months Due to Injury
Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov will be out of action for five to six months due to surgery on his right shoulder, the team announced on Sunday.
The 25-year-old player’s injury occurred on Tuesday in Dallas, in the last minute of regulation time, after receiving a hit from behind by Stars forward Mikko Rantanen.
Romanov, who had to be helped off the ice, was placed on injured reserve on Wednesday. So far this season, the player has one assist in 15 games. Last summer he signed an eight-year, $50 million contract.
He is not happy.
Patrick Roy, Islanders coach
Coach Roy also added that the team will have to move forward and that it is not possible to replace a player like Romanov.El defensa de los Islanders, Alexander Romanov, necesitó someterse a una cirugía en el hombro tras este golpe de Mikko Rantanen, y estará fuera de juego entre cinco y seis meses.Roy indicated that the team will rely on Adam Boqvist and Marshall Warren to make up for Romanov’s absence.
Rantanen received a five-minute penalty for the action and was ejected from the game, but did not receive any additional sanctions from the league for the hit on Romanov. Previously, on Sunday, he was suspended for one game after a hit on Matt Coronato, of Calgary, during Saturday’s game.
Roy was furious after Rantanen’s hit on Romanov and yelled at the Dallas player as he headed to the locker room through a tunnel between the benches.
The Stars coach, Glen Gulutzan, defended his player, as he believed that Rantanen’s skate was grazed by Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield, which caused him to raise his arms to maintain balance just before contact with Romanov.
Rantanen stated that he had no intention of injuring Romanov. This is his first full season with Dallas after being traded twice last season.
