Isles Day-to-Day: Boychuk Off IR

After missing 18 games with a lower-body injury, Johnny Boychuk was activated off injured reserve on Friday afternoon.
Boychuk's activation comes as good news to a depleted Islanders' blue line that recently lost Scott Mayfield for at least four weeks and has been without Calvin de Haan since Dec. 16. His activation is a good sign that he'll return Friday night against the Detroit Red Wings, but Head Coach Doug Weight will release his lineup around 4:45 p.m.
Boychuk was placed on IR on Dec. 28, but has skated with the team since Jan. 19, during what was an up-and-down recovery according to Weight. In Boychuk, the Islanders are getting one of their top defensemen back, as Boychuk averages the second-most TOI on the team (20:40) and the most blocks per game (2.3). The 34-year-old has nine points (3G, 6A) in 34 games this season.