Barzal back in Islanders' lineup after missing 21 games

The New York Islanders re-inserted Mathew Barzal into the lineup for Sunday's game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Head coach Patrick Roy said Barzal is playing with Anders Lee and Jean-Gabriel Pageau, according to the New York Post's Ethan Sears.

Barzal missed 21 games with what his club called an upper-body injury. He last played in a 2-0 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 30.

The skilled forward had a four-to-six-week timetable, so he's returning slightly behind schedule, as Wednesday will be the seven-week mark.

The Islanders activated him off long-term injured reserve earlier Sunday.

New York went 9-7-5 in Barzal's absence. Defenseman Adam Pelech is also returning Sunday after missing just about the same amount of time and sitting out 20 contests. Bo Horvat is not in the lineup against the Blackhawks due to a lower-body ailment.

Barzal comes into the matchup against the Blackhawks with two goals and three assists in 10 games this season. He was averaging 21:12 of ice time, which would be a career high by more than a minute over a full campaign after he set a new personal benchmark of 20:08 in 2023-24.

The 27-year-old led the Islanders with 80 points, including a career-best 23 goals, across 80 games last season.

He's in his ninth campaign with the Isles, who drafted him 16th overall in 2015.