Islanders get back two key veterans for stretch run

The timing made the cliche true.

The Islanders didn’t make a move before Monday’s trade deadline, but they did get two key pieces back into the lineup for what they considered their own internal additions.

Defenseman Thomas Hickey and forward Andrew Ladd returned from long-term injuries in the 3-1 loss to the Flames at the Coliseum on Tuesday, and coach Barry Trotz was rather pleased with their performances.

“I thought both of them actually did pretty well,” Trotz said. “You can tell there is a little bit of rust, just some puck stuff. I thought both of them, they served a real good game up against a tough opponent.”

Hickey established himself in the team’s top four before suffering a bad concussion in Denver on Dec. 17. In the first season of a new four-year, $10 million deal, he missed 28 games, with a couple false starts — the first around Christmas time and the other near his 30th birthday on Feb. 8.

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“Sometimes I thought I was closer than I was, but that’s how it goes. It’s frustrating,” said Hickey, who got 14:48 of ice time while paired with rookie Devon Toews. “That’s all behind me now. Thankful I feel great and healthy and ready to go.”

Ladd started the season hurt, and was only able to play 14 games before he suffered a lower-body injury on Nov. 13. He got 12:52 of ice time Tuesday, mostly on a line with Mathew Barzal and Leo Komarov.

“Andrew brings an ability to play a good two-way game,” Trotz said, “but also a little bit of offense.”

The line from Trotz after the first game back at the Coliseum on Dec. 1 — that the old building would be worth “10 to 12 points” — is going to be put to the test. Tuesday started a five-game homestand there, with eight of the next nine games on Long Island.

“Hopefully the energy of the Coliseum and the Coliseum itself could get us some wins,” Trotz said.

The team has basically gone with the same six defensemen since Hickey got hurt, so it was a tough decision for Trotz to tell Scott Mayfield he was the one coming out.

“I’m really happy with the way Scotty has developed,” Trotz said. “I just told him, ‘I’ve got to get some people back in here. I’ve got to get Hicks back in here.’ Just from a role standpoint, they play similar roles. It was a quite difficult decision, which is what you want a player to know.”

Coming out to make room for Ladd was Tom Kuhnhackl, who had played seven of the past eight games after getting in for just 19 of the first 53.