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Isles suspend Bailey, Joensuu because of overseas injuries

Josh Bailey

New York Islanders’ Josh Bailey (12) celebrates his first-period goal against the New Jersey Devils during a preseason NHL hockey game at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y., Saturday, Oct. 2, 2010. The Islanders won 2-1.(AP Photo/Paul J. Bereswill)

AP

Call it a formality* if you’d like, but the New York Islanders announced on Tuesday that they suspended Josh Bailey and Jesse Joensuu for injuries they sustained during overseas play. Those suspensions are expected to be lifted once they pass physicals.

The Florida Panthers have done something similar with their players who were injured during lockout competition, as both Erik Gudbranson and Marcel Goc are currently in similar predicaments.

Bailey is likely the bigger loss of the two, especially when you consider his strong end to last season (where he scored 17 of his 32 points in his last 19 games). Newsday’s Arthur Staple reports that he had his knee scoped last Wednesday, sidelining him for two weeks to a month.

Joensuu’s dealing with a groin injury, which currently lands him the vague day-to-day label, according to Staple.

Even Bailey isn’t a make-or-break guy for the Isles, yet it would help to have him (and a certain flighty offensive defenseman) if the team wants to catch some people by surprise in a shortened season.

* - On the other hand, some label it a “penny-pinching” move. You can say that things are a little tense in Long Island these days.