At his pregame media briefing before Game 5 of their first round playoff series against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Islanders coach Barry Trotz said veteran forward Travis Zajac would be the logical choice to enter the lineup if the Islanders lost a centerman to injury, but if it was a winger who went down, well, he’d have a few options.
But when rookie right wing Oliver Wahlstrom was checked heavily and awkwardly into the wall by Pittsburgh defenseman Mike Matheson in Game 5 and then couldn’t play in Game 6, Trotz decided Zajac was the best of his options to enter the lineup in Wahlstrom’s place.