Islanders Kyle MacLean, Mitchell Chaffee have solid outings in season debuts

Kyle MacLean has patiently waited the season’s first three weeks to get into the Islanders lineup.Tuesday night against Anaheim his chance came with the Islanders needing reinforcement following injuries to Calum Ritchie and Matias Maccelli.“I’m just excited to get going,” MacLean told The Post before the 3-2 win.

“I feel like I’ve been working, staying patient.Never like to see injuries, but definitely excited for this opportunity and looking forward to being in the lineup.”MacLean and Mitchell Chaffee both played their first games of the season — Chaffee having been called up on an emergency basis from AHL Hamilton on Monday — as the Islanders rostered just 12 healthy forwards.“I thought they did a great job,” DeBoer said of the pair, which formed either side of a fourth line centered by Casey Cizikas.

“I didn’t have to hide them.They had some shifts against their big guys.

I thought they gave us energy, they gave us some physicality.Some really good puck-possession shifts, especially in the third period.”The trio resembles a more traditional fourth line than the Islanders have gone with for much of the season, but the presumed straight-line and defensive style of hockey they’ll play is likely to run counter to coach Pete DeBoer’s preference that all four lines contribute scoring.Chaffee does have a bit more scoring in his history, with 12 goals for the Lightning in 2024-25 and point-per-game production in the AHL, but he struggled in an 11-game stint with Tampa last season.Still, a workmanlike fourth line has its uses.

MacLean, at his most effective, fits well alongside Cizikas, bringing a similar mindset and puck retrieval ability.Chaffee seems to have similar qualities as well.

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