NEW YORK — Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov will be out for five to six months following surgery on his right shoulder, the team said Sunday.
The injury to the 25-year-old Romanov occurred Tuesday in Dallas in the final minute of regulation when he was hit from behind by Stars forward Mikko Rantanen.
Romanov, who had to be helped from the ice, was placed on injured reserve Wednesday. He has one assist in 15 games this season. He signed an eight-year, $50 million contract last summer.
“He’s not happy,” Islanders coach Patrick Roy said before Sunday’s 1-0 shootout win over the Seattle Kraken. “We have to move on. We don’t replace a player like that.”
Roy said the team would rely on Adam Boqvist and Marshall Warren in place of the speedy Romanov.
“You hope that the guys coming in will fit it and hopefully that Boqvist will play like he’s been playing,” Roy said of his defense corps, which has been bolstered by 18-year-old rookie standout Matthew Schaefer.
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Rantanen received a five-minute boarding penalty and game misconduct, but no additional discipline from the league for the hit on Romanov. He was suspended for one game earlier Sunday following a hit on Calgary’s Matt Coronato during Saturday’s game.
Roy was furious after Rantanen’s hit on Romanov and yelled at the Dallas player as he went to the locker room through a tunnel between the benches.
Stars coach Glen Gulutzan defended his player because he believed Rantanen’s skate was clipped by Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield, causing him to raise his arms for balance just before contact with Romanov.
Rantanen said he did not intend to injure Romanov. He is in his first full season with Dallas after getting traded twice last season.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
