BUFFALO, N.Y. — The New York Islanders have announced that center Mat Barzal has returned to Long Island for an evaluation of an upper-body injury. The team mentioned that they will disclose the estimated duration of his absence after he consults with medical professionals.

The exact moment when Barzal sustained the injury remains unclear. He completed the game against Columbus on Wednesday, marking the team’s third straight loss, which has left their record at 3-5-2 this season.

Complicating matters further for the Islanders, winger Anthony Duclair is also sidelined and is anticipated to be out for several weeks due to a lower-body injury. In response to these setbacks, the team had veteran Matt Martin sign a contract last week to bolster their forward lineup.

At 27 years old, Barzal is the Islanders’ highest-paid player, currently in the second year of his eight-year, $73.2 million deal. So far this season, he has contributed five points over his first ten games.