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Ryan Pulock

New York Islanders Place Ryan Pulock On Injured Reserve

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The New York Islanders have placed defenseman Ryan Pulock on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, according to a team announcement.

The nature of Pulock’s injury, beyond the fact that it is a lower-body ailment, is not immediately clear. The 29-year-old blueliner played in yesterday’s 7-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets, although his 16:28 time-on-ice was quite a bit lower than normal. Pulock typically plays 23 minutes per night and can play as many as 28, as he did during a November contest against the Ottawa Senators.

Due to this IR placement, Pulock will now need to miss at least the team’s next three games. That leaves the Islanders without one of their most important defensemen for games against some potential Stanley Cup contenders. The Islanders play the Los Angeles Kings tomorrow and then face off against the Toronto Maple Leafs on December 11th. The Islanders are already missing stalwart defensive defenseman Adam Pelech, so this loss of Pulock costs the team another reliable, minutes-eating blueliner.

Paired with young Samuel Bolduc last night, Pulock occupied a crucial role inside the team’s top four at even strength and on the penalty kill.

Now, barring any external addition, it’s likely that team seventh defenseman Grant Hutton will draw into the lineup in place of Pulock. It’s extremely unlikely he plays the kind of role the team entrusts to Pulock, though. Instead, look for the team’s third pairing of recent waiver claim Mike Reilly and veteran Scott Mayfield to be leaned on more heavily by head coach Lane Lambert.

As one of the league’s lower-scoring teams, the Islanders rely on well-drilled defensive hockey and exceptional goaltending to grind out victories. That’s the formula that took the club to the playoffs last season and placed them in the Eastern Conference Finals for two consecutive years under former coach Barry Trotz.

Employing that defense-first strategy becomes quite a bit more challenging when both Pelech and Pulock are out of the lineup. It will be interesting to see what adjustments Lambert makes in order to give his squad the best chance to keep pace in what is a fiercely competitive Metropolitan division.

Metropolitan Notes: Trocheck, Pulock, Zohorna

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The Hurricanes plan to revisit extension talks with pending UFA center Vincent Trocheck soon, GM Don Waddell told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription link).  The two sides discussed a new deal earlier in the season but tabled those talks when there was no progress being made.  The 28-year-old has done a nice job rebuilding his value since coming over in a trade from Florida in 2020.  At that time, his role and production have dipped but with Carolina, he has become an important part of their top six while becoming particularly sharp at the faceoff dot.  He’s playing at close to a 60-point pace this season and knowing how high the demand for quality centers can be in free agency, his camp can certainly make a case for an increase on his current $4.75MM AAV.  However, that type of contract could be tough to fit into Carolina’s long-term cap structure.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • While Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock returned to play in a pair of games before the All-Star Break, he told reporters, including Ethan Sears of the New York Post, that he still isn’t fully healthy. The 27-year-old, when healthy, is New York’s top blueliner and often logs over 22 minutes a game.  However, he has missed most of the season with a lower-body injury and played under 17 minutes in both contests after his return.  The All-Star break is well-timed for him in that respect as it gives him another extended rest to try to get back to full health to try to finish his season on a high note.
  • While Penguins forward Radim Zohorna has seen very limited action with Pittsburgh (just six games this season after eight appearances last year), head coach Mike Sullivan still has high hopes for the 25-year-old. He told Seth Rorabaugh of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that they view Zohorna as someone that could be a top-nine piece for Pittsburgh moving forward.  If Sullivan is that high on Zohorna’s upside, it will be interesting to see if they find a way to use him more regularly in the second half of the season.

New York Islanders Activate Ryan Pulock From LTIR

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It’s a joyous day on the Island, as the New York Islanders activated defenseman Ryan Pulock off long-term injured reserve today, as reported by Newsday’s Andrew Gross. Defenseman Robin Salo, who does not require waivers, is no longer listed on the roster, likely meaning that’s he’s been assigned to the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders or to the taxi squad.

Pulock, like many of the Islanders players, had a rocky start to the beginning of the season. Normally the team’s best offensive defenseman, he had just two points in 12 games before landing on long-term injured reserve with a lower-body injury.

What was originally supposed to be five weeks turned into two and a half months, forcing the Islanders’ depth on defense to be challenged. Players like Noah Dobson revelled in the opportunity, as he’s playing the best hockey of his career. Now, against the Ottawa Senators tonight, the Islanders will be able to ice a fully healthy defense for the first time since the first month of the season.

Pulock’s low production at the beginning of the year was likely just a spell of bad luck fuelled by low shooting percentages across the team. Albeit in a small sample size, many advanced analytics don’t suggest any downturn in play from Pulock.

Under contract until 2030 with an eight-year, $49.2MM contract that kicks in next season, Pulock will get a chance to aid in what needs to be a massive push from the Islanders at this point to make the playoffs. The team is 6-4-0 in their last 10 games but is still a game under a .500 pace, and even with five games in hand on Boston, the current second Wild Card holder, they’re 17 points out of a playoff spot.

It’s unclear as to where Pulock will fit back in the lineup, but if he’s reunited with former partner Adam Pelech, it will mark the return of one of the strongest two-way defense pairings in the league.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Islanders, Blackhawks Announce More COVID Placements

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The New York Islanders will not have Barry Trotz behind the bench when the team takes on the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, as the head coach has been placed in the COVID protocol. Unfortunately, it doesn’t end there as Ryan Pulock has also found his way to the protocol today despite being injured.

Pulock hasn’t played since the middle of November as he deals with a lower-body injury, but now won’t even be able to get on the ice to rehab for the next little while. The loss of the 27-year-old defenseman has been one of the biggest problems for the Islanders this season. After receiving Norris Trophy votes and Olympic consideration, Pulock has played in just 12 games so far.

The COVID announcements don’t end there. The Chicago Blackhawks have placed Jake McCabe and head athletic trainer Mike Gapski in the protocol, according to Mark Lazerus of The Athletic. Jakub Galvas has been recalled from the taxi squad to take McCabe’s place and could be making his NHL debut should he get into the lineup tonight against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Galvas, 22, is in his first year of North American hockey after several years in Czechia and Finland. Through 20 games with the Rockford IceHogs, the fifth-round pick has six points but has shown enough to earn this recall to the NHL squad. While perhaps not a full-time solution at this point, filling in for a few days while McCabe goes through his isolation period shouldn’t be an issue.

Snapshots: Islanders, Norlinder, Fix-Wolansky

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The New York Islanders were dealt a tough hand to start the season with a 13-game road trip, but things aren’t exactly looking up with the news that defenseman Ryan Pulock will miss the next four to six weeks with a lower-body injury. The Islanders sit with a 5-6-2 record, and while it’s certainly recoverable, especially considering their track record, they find themselves in an extremely competitive division with seven teams ahead of them. With a defense core that’s looked troubling at times, the team could look to get outside help via the form of a trade. The Athletic’s Arthur Staple says that while the team could put faith into their staff in AHL Bridgeport to help bridge the gap until Pulock’s return, there’s a variety of trade targets they could examine. While D-men who have experience playing on the right side aren’t usually available for trade, he lists Seattle’s Vince Dunn as a potential option who could still prove to pay dividends on the power play once Pulock returns, a role that hasn’t been filled properly since the departure of Devon Toews.

More from around the NHL:

  • Montreal Canadiens prospect Mattias Norlinder is set to make his NHL debut on Thursday. The defenseman is healthy after a preseason injury sidelined him up until the last week, where he spent three games with the AHL’s Laval Rocket on a conditioning stint. The 64th overall pick in 2019 is expected to play on the second pairing alongside veteran David Savard, who’ll give him what should be a reliable defensive partner to open his NHL career.
  • It’s another prospect returning to the lineup as Columbus’ Trey Fix-Wolansky is making his season debut for AHL Cleveland tonight after an eight-month absence. The Hockey Writers’ Mark Scheig notes that the forward had ACL surgery in March. Fix-Wolansky wasn’t picked until the seventh round in 2018, likely due to his 5′ 8″ height, but proceeded to light up the WHL the following season with the Edmonton Oil Kings, scoring 37 goals and 102 points in just 65 games. After having an impressive first professional go-around with Cleveland last year as well, look for Fix-Wolansky to get an NHL look sooner rather than later.

Islanders’ Ryan Pulock, Josh Bailey Sidelined

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Just before puck drop of their Tuesday night match-up with the red hot Florida Panthers, the New York Islanders announced that they will be without two key contributors. The team revealed that defenseman Ryan Pulock has suffered a lower-body injury and forward Josh Bailey has been placed in the NHL’s COVID Protocol. It is unclear if either player will be available for the Isles’ next game on Saturday against the Calgary Flames.

Both Pulock and Bailey skated just last night against the Tampa Bay Lightning, implying that Pulock was injured in the game and Bailey likely entered the protocol on account of a positive test, without much opportunity for a close contact outside the locker room. Pulock did record only 16:45 of ice time on Monday, fifth among Islanders defenders and well below his norm, so it should not be a surprise that he is not at full strength. The team did not disclose any details about Pulock’s injury and only noted that he will be re-evaluated once the team returns to New York. Bailey too is on an indeterminate timeline as he goes through the COVID Protocol.

With the Islanders sitting at .500, sharing last place in the Metropolitan Division, the team can ill afford to be without two of their top play-makers. The team is off to a slow start this season and Pulock (2 points, -2 rating in 12 games) and Bailey (6 points, -5 rating in 12 games) are no exception. However, both are still invaluable members of the team. Pulock leads all Islanders in time on ice, while Bailey is logging top line minutes himself. They may not be at the their best right now, but righting the ship will be much more difficult for New York without their stalwart defender and long-time veteran scorer. The Islanders have to hope that Bailey’s stint in the Protocol is little more than a formality and that Pulock’s injury is only minor.

Islanders Agree To Terms On Eight-Year Extension With Ryan Pulock

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The Islanders won’t be letting their top defenseman get to the UFA market next summer.  Instead, they’ve agreed to terms with Ryan Pulock on an eight-year extension, reports TSN’s Darren Dreger (Twitter link).  Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the contract will carry an average annual value of $6.15MM, which will represent a small raise on his current $5MM AAV but a decrease on his current $6.66MM salary.

The 27-year-old, a first-round pick of the Isles back in 2013 (15th overall), has worked his way up from the third pairing at the start of his career to New York’s top blueliner.  He has logged over 22 minutes per game in each of the last three seasons and while his offensive production dipped last year (17 points in 56 games), he had three straight seasons of more than 30 points before that.  He isn’t a prototypical number one defender although had he gotten to free agency in July, he likely would have had a shot at landing considerably more on the open market considering some of the deals that were handed out to impact rearguards last offseason.

While Pulock didn’t land top money with this deal, he did get some trade protection at least as Dreger adds (Twitter link) that the deal contains a full no-trade clause in the first five years plus a limited no-trade clause in the final three seasons.

Between this contract and the eight-year pact handed out to his partner Adam Pelech back in August, GM Lou Lamoriello has locked up his top pairing for around $12MM per season.  Given that they are built as a defense-first team, having that stability at the top of their back end will certainly help to extend their competitive window from a salary cap perspective, especially knowing that top center Mathew Barzal is heading for a significant contract in 2023 when his bridge deal comes to an end.

But that’s a concern for another day.  Once this contract is officially finalized, the core of their back end will be secure and their top pending UFA won’t be getting the opportunity to test the market next summer.  That’s a pretty good piece of business for Lamoriello and the Islanders.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

2020 Arbitration Tracker

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Originally published on Oct 13

The dates for the upcoming arbitration hearings have been set, with the first three being held on October 20. Hearings will continue through November 8. It is important to remember that this offseason, once a hearing begins, teams are no longer allowed to negotiate with the player in question while the arbitrator deliberates.

The full schedule is:

October 20

Andrew Mangiapane – Settled, 2 years $2.43MM AAV
Anthony DeAngelo – Settled, 2 years $4.8MM AAV
Matt Grzelcyk – Settled, 4 years, $3.69MM AAV

October 21

Ilya Mikheyev – Settled, 2 years $1.65MM AAV

October 22

Connor Brown – Settled, 3 years, $3.6MM AAV

October 25

Tyler Bertuzzi – Player filing: $4.25MM – Team filing: $3.15MM – Awarded: $3.5MM

October 26

Linus Ullmark – Settled, 1 year, $2.6MM AAV

October 27

Sam Reinhart – Settled, 1 year, $5.2MM AAV

October 28

Jake Virtanen* – Settled, 2 years, $2.55MM AAV

October 30

Joshua Ho-Sang – Settled, 1 year, $700K AAV (two-way)

October 31

Devon Toews – Settled, 4 years, $4.1MM AAV
Alexandar Georgiev – Settled, 2 years, $2.43MM AAV

November 1

Nick Paul – Settled, 2 years, $1.35MM AAV

November 2

Gustav Forsling  – Settled, 1 year, $700K AAV (two-way)

November 4

Victor Olofsson – Settled, 2 years, $3.05MM AAV
Warren Foegele – Settled, 1 year, $2.14MM AAV

November 5

Ryan Strome – Player filing: $5.7MM, Team Filing: 3.6MM – Settled: 2 years, $4.5MM AAV

November 6

Brendan Lemieux – Player filing: $2MM, Team Filing: 2 years, $1.0125MM AAV – Settled: 2 years, $1.55MM AAV
Ryan Pulock – Settled, 2 years, $5.0MM AAV

November 7

Christian Jaros – Settled, 1 year, $750K (two-way)

November 8

Chris Tierney – Settled, 2 years, $3.5MM AAV
MacKenzie Weegar – Settled, 3 years $3.25MM AAV
Haydn Fleury – Settled, 2 years, $1.3MM AAV

*Virtanen was not included in the NHLPA’s announcement, but Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports he will have a hearing on the 28th. 

New York Islanders Sign Ryan Pulock

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The New York Islanders have signed restricted free agent defenseman Ryan Pulock to a new two-year contract. The deal, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, will carry an average annual value of $5MM. Pulock had a salary arbitration hearing scheduled for later this week, which will no longer be necessary. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic provides the full breakdown:

  • 2020-21: $2.26MM salary + $740K signing bonus
  • 2021-22: $5.16MM salary + $1.5MM signing bonus

Because he is an unassuming piece of the Islanders defensive puzzle, you may not realize just how good Pulock has been over the last several years. Over the last three seasons, Pulock ranks 33rd in scoring among NHL defensemen with 104 points in 218 games, 21st in goals with 23. That already puts him in the upper-echelon of offensive blueliners, but given he also brings a steady defensive stick and physical presence it’s hard not to wonder why he gets so little league-wide praise.

With a $5MM price tag, perhaps he’ll start getting his due as one of the better defensemen in the league and a leader on the Islanders back end. The concerning part for New York fans, is how long he’ll stay a part of that Islanders back end.

A two-year contract means that Pulock will reach unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2022 when he is just 27 years old. If he’s not re-signed by then, he’ll be one of the youngest free agents on the market and likely able to command a huge, long-term offer. Should his offensive production continue, there’s a chance he even would be one of the very best free agents available at any position.

Still, for now he can provide strong play for a reasonable price and fits into an Islanders financial situation that will have a chance to reset itself in a few years. Pulock, Johnny Boychuk, Nick Leddy and Thomas Hickey are now all on contracts that expire following the 2021-22 season, meaning the team will have the option to build their defense around a different—and likely younger—core.

Because Pulock was the Islanders final arbitration case, they will now receive a 24-hour buyout window that will open on Friday. They can only buy out players that have a cap hit of at least $4MM.

New York Islanders Agree To Terms With Ryan Pulock

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5:37 PM: CapFriendly reports (Twitter link) that the deal will carry a $2MM AAV with Pulock receiving $1.35MM in 2018-19 and $2.65MM in 2019-20.  The significant difference between the two years is particularly noteworthy since the $2.65MM figure and not the AAV will represent his qualifying offer in June of 2020.

8:31 AM: The New York Islanders have come to terms with one of their remaining restricted free agents, signing Ryan Pulock to a two-year contract. Pulock finally broke out and became a full-time NHL player last season, but was not eligible for salary arbitration. He will still be a restricted free agent at the end of the deal. No financial details have been released yet.

Pulock, 23, was originally selected 15th overall in 2013 but struggled to find much NHL playing time before the 2017-18 season. He’d shown off his goal scoring ability from the blue line in the minor leagues, but was stuck behind a veteran group in New York that included right-handed options like Johnny Boychuk and Travis Hamonic. When Hamonic was sent to the Calgary Flames last offseason though, an opportunity presented itself for Pulock to show what he could do at the NHL level. In 68 games Pulock scored 32 points and was arguably the Islanders best two-way defenseman, contributing offensively while quickly and effectively getting the puck out of his own end. For such a young and inexperienced player he wasn’t sheltered by head coach Doug Weight, and logged more average ice time than veteran Thomas Hickey, who was also re-signed this offseason.

Under new coach Barry Trotz, Pulock should experience even more growth and responsibility this season and try to follow the development path set by others before him. John Carlson for example was a young offensively minded defenseman with a career-high of 37 points when Trotz came to Washington in 2014. He immediately posted a 55-point season and became one of the Capitals’ stars on the blue line. In his final year under Trotz this season, Carlson set new career-highs with 15 goals and 68 points. Though some of that production also has to do with then-assistant coach Todd Reirden, Pulock will try to be the next right-handed weapon to put up career numbers under Trotz.

While that comparison may seem unfair, Pulock does have some incredible offensive tools that look ready to be unleashed if he’s given a regular spot with New York. The team will have to find new ways of creating scoring chances now that John Tavares has left town, and the new wave of talent led by Mathew Barzal and Pulock will be the driving force behind them. After a solid rookie season, we could see a huge step forward in 2018-19 if Pulock is given the chance.

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