The New York Islanders have been the staple of structured hockey for the better part of the past decade. This transition to a defensive-oriented focus has been led by Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock, who have combined for over 1,100 career NHL games, all with the Islanders. While the two defensemen have been pivotal contributors during the team’s deep playoff runs, their tenures on Long Island could be nearing an end if they do not improve this season.
Why Move Pelech or Pulock?
As hard as it may be to admit, Pelech and Pulock are no longer the defensemen they once were. Both have battled with injuries and regressed when on the ice in recent seasons. Pelech finished last season with just one goal and 15 assists in 58 games, in addition to finishing the season with 38.8 goals percentage (G%) and 41.3 expected goals percentage (xG%), according to MoneyPuck. This was the worst G% of his career and second lowest xG%, only beating out his rookie season.
Pulock finished the season with five goals and 14 assists in 58 games. He finished with a 45.5 G%, the lowest of his career, and a 47 xG%, the second lowest of his career (2022-23 season, 46.9 xG%). As a soon-to-be 30-year-old, his game is not trending in the right direction, and with the abundance of defensive talent on the Islanders, it may make sense to move him before it is too late.
Defensive Log Jam
The Islanders’ defensive log jam is a result of an abundance of long-term deals. Pulock and Scott Mayfield are signed for six more seasons, and Noah Dobson is likely to fetch a six to eight-year deal on his next contract. On the left side, Pelech has five years left on his contract and Alexander Romanov is likely to sign a long-term extension next offseason.
Related: New York Islanders’ 5 Worst Contracts for 2024-25
While the Islanders have a strong defense core, signing five defensemen to deals no shorter than four or five seasons does not make much sense, especially given the likelihood of these deals potentially amounting to a $30 million or higher annual cap hit.
Although the team’s strength on the right side means the defensive logjam will affect Pulock more than Pelech, both defensemen are at risk of losing their spots.
Prospects On the Way
The Islanders have not made many high draft selections in recent seasons, but they have made enough to put together a decent prospect pool. While Samuel Bolduc is no longer considered a prospect, at 23 years old he is itching to earn a full-time gig. He is likely to be the team’s seventh defenseman behind Mike Reilly this season, but he should be in a full-time role no later than the 2025-26 season.
Prospects Calle Odelius and Jesse Pulkinnen are both signed to entry-level contracts and are a season or two from reaching the NHL. Odelius is set to join the Bridgeport Islanders this season and should be in line for top-pairing minutes and shifts on the powerplay and penalty kill. Pulkinnen was selected in the 2024 Draft but was a second-year eligible prospect, so he could be viewed as a 2023 draftee. While neither prospect will see the NHL this season, they may both be pushing for a roster spot in training camp for the 2025-26 season.
Pelech’s No Trade Clause
Pelech signed an eight-year deal with the Islanders in 2021 which contained eight seasons with trade restrictions. However, following this season, the deal shifts from a full no-trade clause to a 16-team no-trade clause. Whether this was methodically planned out by general manager (GM) Lou Lamoriello is unknown, but this modification was undoubtedly intentional.
Pulock’s deal was structured similarly, but his full no-trade clause only becomes a 16-team no-trade clause in the 2027 offseason. If the Islanders were to move either defenseman, they would have an easier time moving Pelech given his lack of trade restrictions.
Pulock’s Connection to the Jets
The most likely scenario in which the Islanders would move Pulock before his 16-team no-trade clause kicks in would be by sending him to the Winnipeg Jets. He grew up near Winnipeg and has been speculated to be on the team’s radar as a potential trade chip.
Nikolaj Ehlers was a speculated candidate to be the return for the Islanders in a trade, but since he will be a free agent next offseason, a deal is unlikely to come to fruition. The Jets also have Rutger McGroarty who, if still in Winnipeg next offseason, could be a prime trade target given his age, skillset, team control, and positional value.
Lamoriello Departs
Another reason to believe the two defensemen could be on thin ice in Lamoriello’s likely departure. At 81 years old, Lamoriello is nearing the end of his tenure as an NHL executive, and if he decides to retire following this season, a new face will take over. While this is entirely speculation, a new GM will not have the loyalty of Lamoriello, and a 16-team no-trade list will only mean there are 16 teams they can freely send Pelech to.
It is also important to preface all of this by saying strong 2024-25 seasons by Pelech and/or Pulock will ensure they remain on the Islanders, at least for another few seasons. However, it is important to recognize the team’s salary cap constraints, recent decline in performance, and abundance of defensive talent when assessing the future.
The situation is pretty clear: if Pelech and Pulock continue to struggle, they will be shopped. With both defenseman healthy and Patrick Roy beginning his first full season as head coach, there are many reasons to believe they will each bounce back this season, but this is an important storyline to follow nonetheless.
