Islanders Place Ryan Pulock On LTIR, Assign Ken Appleby To AHL
The Islanders have made a pair of roster moves in advance of tomorrow’s game against Pittsburgh. The team announced (Twitter link) that they’ve moved defenseman Ryan Pulock to LTIR and assigned goaltender Ken Appleby to AHL Bridgeport.
Pulock has been out with a lower-body injury since December 8th, meaning he has already missed the majority of the 10 games and 24 days that he’s required to be out for with this placement; he’d be eligible to be activated as soon as Tuesday’s game in Colorado. The fact they’re going this route suggests he should be out at least a little longer than that.
While Pulock’s placement doesn’t open up a roster spot, it does expand their LTIR pool, giving GM Lou Lamoriello more short-term flexibility to manage his roster without having to be worried about salary cap considerations.
As for Appleby, he has been back and forth from Bridgeport in recent days with Semyon Varlamov missing the last couple of games with an undisclosed injury. His demotion opens up a roster spot and if Varlamov is good to at least dress as the backup for tomorrow’s game, the Islanders will likely look to bring a defenseman up from the AHL as they’ve been carrying just six in recent days.
What Your Team Is Thankful For: New York Islanders
As the holiday season approaches, PHR will be taking a look at what teams are thankful for in 2023-24. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the New York Islanders.
Who are the Islanders thankful for?
The New York Islanders spent big money to acquire Bo Horvat last season, shelling out a first-round pick, a former first-round pick in Anthony Beauvillier, and second-round pick Aatu Raty. It was a high price to pay but Horvat is making it look like a great deal through his first full season with his new team. He’s been one of the team’s most consistent pieces, serving as a safeguard against the up-and-down struggles of some of his teammates. Horvat ranks second on the team in goals, with 14, and third in points, with 33, through 32 appearances this year. The 28-year-old centerman is also leading the Islanders in CF% (Corsi-For percentage) and ranks second in xGF% (expected goals-for percentage), showing that he’s earning his high scoring by making impacts all across the ice. Horvat’s strong play has let New York move Mathew Barzal to the wing, giving the star forward the fewest faceoffs of his career. The change has come to good effect, with Barzal leading the Islanders in scoring with 35 points in 32 games – on pace for 90 points through 82 games. Horvat is signed through the 2030-31 season, carrying a $8.5MM cap hit and some form of trade protection through all nine seasons. The Islanders placed a hefty amount of confidence in Horvat with the pricey trade and long-term extension and he’s returned the favor by quickly becoming a central pillar of their lineup.
What are the Islanders thankful for?
A stout crease.
The Islanders may be receiving the best goaltending in the league, which has come as a life-saver for a team facing injuries to three top defensemen. The effort has been spearheaded by Ilya Sorokin, who’s faced the second-most shots of any goalie in the league behind only Juuse Saros. Sorokin has continued his Vezina Trophy-caliber goaltending despite it, setting a .914 save percentage through 21 starts – good for 11th among NHL goalies with 12 or more starts. Sorokin is flanked by Semyon Varlamov, who has performed even better in his support role. Varlamov ranks sixth among all goalies with a .919 save percentage, continuing his trend of dominating in an Islanders jersey. The 35-year-old goalie is in his fifth season in New York and has recorded a save percentage higher than .910 in each of his four previous seasons, including the .929 he set in 36 games of the 2020-21 season which ranks as the 11th-highest save percentage over the last decade, among goalies with 35-or-more starts.
New York has played in more overtime games than any other team this year, largely thanks to their pair of former Vezina runner-ups standing tall enough to force extra time. They’ve been enough to back-up a fractured blue line and provides a comforting safeguard in a league where many different teams are searching for any sense of reliability in net.
What would the Islanders be even more thankful for?
Healthy defenders.
New York has suffered a string of injuries to their blue line that would be insurmountable for some teams. Three of their top-four defensemen are currently on injured reserve, including Adam Pelech who was placed on long-term injured reserve with an upper-body injury. He’s joined by Ryan Pulock, who was averaging over 22-minutes a night prior to his injury, and Scott Mayfield, who’s grown into a prominent role now in his 10th season with the club. The Islanders have had to get creative to fill in for these injuries, acquiring Robert Bortuzzo via trade and recalling Mike Reilly and Samuel Bolduc to serve in every-day roles. And while the blue line has performed serviceably, there’s no doubting that New York is missing a hardy boost thanks to their injuries – with Noah Dobson‘s 34 points in 33 games representing the only blue-liner with more than 10 points this year. They’re expected to receive support soon enough, with Mayfield only designated as day-to-day, but no timeline has been provided for the return of Pulock or Pelech. The group looks formidable if, and hopefully when, the Islanders blue line is able to get full health, and there’s reason for optimism after the team’s performed so well with three reserves in the lineup.
What should be on the Islanders holiday wish list?
A new top-six winger.
New York seemingly have all of the defense and goaltending that a team could want but they’re still not receiving the depth scoring that could push them into the league’s top tier. Recent trade acquisition Pierre Engvall has done well in the top-six minutes that he’s received, scoring four goals and 13 points in 32 games, but getting a boost of scoring-upside could go a long way towards keeping the Islanders at the top of their division. There are no shortage of options on the open market, including goal-scoring wingers Anthony Duclair and Andrei Kuzmenko – two options on short-term contracts that could fit nicely into Islanders head coach Lane Lambert‘s systems. Bringing in a new winger could give Lambert a newfound spark in the top-end of his lineup, and significantly more flexibility in the bottom-six.
East Notes: Grzelcyk, Lundell, Islanders
After being listed as day-to-day yesterday, Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk did not travel with the team on their current road trip and will likely miss all of the three-game swing, head coach Jim Montgomery said today (via Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald). Grzelcyk left Tuesday’s contest against the Wild with an upper-body injury after posting a -2 rating in 13:35 of ice time.
This will be Grzelcyk’s second multi-game absence of the season. The 29-year-old missed ten games in November with an upper-body injury. It’s unclear if the two injuries are related.
The Massachusetts-born defender is amidst the worst season of his NHL career, and it couldn’t come at a tougher time. Regarded as a high-end, complementary top-four defender with exquisite possession numbers since becoming a full-time big-leaguer in 2018, Grzelcyk is now in the final season of a four-year, $14.75MM contract and will be an unrestricted free agent next summer. Unfortunately, his game has cratered this year, posting just one goal and a -3 rating in 20 contests. He is averaging 17:04 per game, his lowest usage since averaging 16:44 per game in his rookie season in 2017-18. When healthy, he’s been stapled to a pairing with Charlie McAvoy this season, which has been the Bruins’ highest-event pairing at both ends of the rink. Grzelcyk’s -3 rating and 48% Corsi share at even strength are both career lows.
With Grzelcyk out of the lineup, rookie Mason Lohrei will skate on a pairing with McAvoy in tonight’s game against the Jets. Across multiple stints on the Bruins’ NHL roster this season, the 22-year-old Lohrei has two goals, three assists, and a -4 rating through his first 15 NHL games and is averaging 16:59 per contest.
Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference as the Christmas weekend draws near:
- Panthers center Anton Lundell will be activated off injured reserve before tomorrow’s game against the Golden Knights as he “should be” ready to return from an illness, head coach Paul Maurice said Friday (via Panthers senior digital content manager Jameson Olive). Lundell was close to returning for last night’s 4-1 loss to the Blues but could not play. The 22-year-old has missed the last four games with an undisclosed illness that was serious enough to warrant an injured reserve placement, opening up a roster spot. The Panthers have an active roster of 22 players, so they won’t need to make a corresponding transaction to make room for Lundell once the holiday roster freeze lifts on December 28. Through 28 games, the third-year two-way center has two goals and ten assists for 12 points.
- The Islanders will remain without three regular defensemen in the lineup against the Hurricanes tomorrow as Scott Mayfield, Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock did not travel with the team, Andrew Gross of Newsday reports. Mayfield has missed the last five games with an upper-body injury and remains on injured reserve, although he’s eligible to be activated at any time. It’s unclear whether the veteran shutdown man will be ready to go for the Islanders’ first game after the holiday break, a home tilt against the Penguins next Wednesday. Pelech, 29, is on long-term injured reserve and, while he’s been out long enough to be activated at any time, has yet to resume skating and has no timeline for a return from an upper-body injury that’s kept him out since American Thanksgiving. Pulock is also on injured reserve and last played on December 7 against the Blue Jackets, missing the subsequent seven games with a lower-body injury. He has also yet to resume skating with the team and does not appear close to a return. The Islanders have gone 2-1-2 in their last five games without half of their regular defense corps.
New York Islanders Activate Matt Martin Off IR, Share Other Injury Updates
The New York Islanders have activated Matt Martin from injured reserve. The forward hsan’t played since November 15th, battling an upper-body injury. He was formerly activated on November 28th but faced setbacks that required him to be placed back on IR. Martin appeared in 14 games before being moved to IR, scoring two points and recording seven penalty minutes. The 34-year-old is in his 15th NHL season, with all but two years coming with the New York Islanders. Martin ranks eighth all-time in games played for the Islanders franchise, joining a top 10 that also features long-time teammates Josh Bailey, Brock Nelson, and Casey Cizikas.
The Islanders also shared that Julien Gauthier is set to miss the team’s Wednesday night matchup against the Washington Capitals with an upper-body injury. Oliver Wahlstrom is expected to fill in for Gauthier, after serving as a healthy scratch for the team’s last seven games. Wahlstrom has scored five points in the 17 appearances he’s made this season. Gauthier has also spent time as a healthy scratch this season, only appearing in 14 of the team’s 31 games. He’s tied Wahlstrom’s five points in his outings.
Finally, New York head coach Lane Lambert shared that none of Ryan Pulock, Scott Mayfield, or Adam Pelech traveled with the team on their two-game road trip that takes them up to the league’s holiday break. All three defenseman are currently on injured reserve, with Pelech placed on long-term IR on November 25th. All three of the injured defenders have averaged 19-or-more minutes of ice time in the games they have appeared in, speaking to the impact that their absences makes on the Islanders lineup.
New York Islanders Place Ryan Pulock On Injured Reserve
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
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
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
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
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
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.