Islanders Acquire Reilly and Place Pelech on Long-Term Injured Reserve: Latest NHL News

Welcome to the NHL Buzz. Every day during the regular season, NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.

New York Islanders

Adam Pelech was placed on long-term injured reserve by the Islanders on Saturday with an upper-body injury.

The defenseman was injured in the first period of a 5-3 win against the Ottawa Senators, clutching his wrist after taking a hit from Senators forward Drake Batherson.

Pelech is fourth on the Islanders in time on ice per game (19:38) and has three assists in 16 games this season. He previously missed three games with a lower-body earlier this month, and missed 21 games last season due to an upper-body injury.

The Islanders, who host the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET; MSGSN, NBCSP+) also placed forward Matt Martin on injured reserve retroactive to Nov. 15. The forward has not played since sustaining an upper-body injury that day against the Vancouver Canucks, missing the past four games.

Defenseman Sebastian Aho is also out with an upper-body injury sustained against the Senators.

“Pelech, we’ve put on long-term because we have been advised that he’d be out at least a few weeks and he would become eligible on December 19,” Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello said. “Aho, we still don’t know to what extent that is, and we won’t know until the next couple of days, examined by the doctors. Martin, we had retroactive injury reserve, which means that when his injury [heals], he’s eligible to come off, and he’s close.”

New York claimed defenseman Mike Reilly on waivers from the Florida Panthers on Saturday. He has no points in two games this season.

“The timing of the injuries last night and him being on waivers and being a veteran who’s played some 350 games gives us some experience,” Lamoriello said. “He’s a puck-moving left shot, and we have some experience with him because we played against him in playoffs when he was with Boston. And so he’ll be here tomorrow.” — Stefen Rosner

Buffalo Sabres

Zemgus Girgensons is week to week for the Sabres with a lower-body injury.

The forward left midway through the second period of a 3-2 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday. He has two assists in 20 games this season.

Forward Jordan Greenway, who did not play Friday, will not play at the New Jersey Devils on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; MSG-B, MSG) due to a personal matter.

The Sabres recalled forwards Isak Rosen and Jiri Kulich from Rochester of the American Hockey League. Rosen ranks fifth in the AHL with 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists); Kulich has 17 points and is tied for fourth with 11 goals.

Vegas Golden Knights

Defensemen Shea Theodore and Alec Martinez will not play against the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday (10 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, SCRIPPS).

Theodore sustained an upper-body injury in a 2-1 overtime win against the Dallas Stars on Wednesday.

“We’re going to get it looked at today,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said Saturday. “We’ll let you know if he’s traveling on the (three-game) road trip tomorrow, but he’s out tonight.”

Martinez will miss his second game with a lower-body injury and is day to day.

“I don’t know how long ‘Marty’ will be [out],” Cassidy said. “My guess is closer to a week to 10 days, probably, but who knows right now.”

Theodore is tied for third on the Golden Knights with 18 points (four goals, 14 assists) in 20 games; Martinez has four points (three goals, one assist) in 14 games.

With Theodore and Martinez out, Ben Hutton and Brayden Pachal will enter the lineup Saturday. — Paul Delos Santos

Montreal Canadiens

Arber Xhekaj was placed on injured reserve Saturday retroactive to Nov. 16 because of an upper-body injury.

The defenseman was injured in the second period of a 6-5 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Nov. 16. He has three points (one goal, two assists) and is second in the NHL in penalty minutes (47) behind Liam O’Brien of the Arizona Coyotes (5).

Xhekaj is not expected to play when the Canadiens visit the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday (4 p.m. ET; BSW, TSN2, RDS2).

Washington Capitals

T.J. Oshie will not travel for the start of the Capitals upcoming road trip because of an upper-body injury.

The forward left in the second period of a 5-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday after a hit from defenseman Mattias Ekholm at 2:09 of the second period. He did not return.

Washington begins a five-game road trip at the San Jose Sharks on Monday.

Oshie has two points (one goal, one assist) in 17 games this season.