The New York Islanders, for years, were led by a great defense. The same group, with Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock on the top pair, fueled their success earlier in the decade when they had deep playoff runs and allowed them to win low-scoring games. A great defense was an Islanders staple.
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Now their defense is older and on the decline. Last season, the group was riddled with injuries and a step behind on the ice as the Islanders allowed 3.13 goals per game. The group that was great earlier in the decade is a weakness now, and the Islanders must move on from it, maybe not this season but at least by the start of the season after.
Pelech, Pulock, & Mayfield All Take Up Key Roster Spots
Pelech, Pulock, and Scott Mayfield are three veterans who went from being the core building blocks to the trio weighing the unit down. Last season, they weren’t the top pair of skaters, and moving forward, they are second-pair options. The question is how the new general manager (GM), Mathieu Darche, moves on from them?
Pelech is the only defenseman Darche can trade if he wants to take that path. He has four years left on a contract with $5.75 million average annual value (AAV) and a 16-team no-movement clause. It’s a hard contract to move on from and won’t bring back a big return in a trade (unless the Islanders retain salary), which speaks volumes to the difficulty of moving on from the other defensemen.
Pulock’s contract has five more years on it and a full no-trade clause. Like Pelech, his decline and recent injury history have diminished his value. So, the Islanders will likely look to phase him into a depth role starting with this season. Instead of playing 21 minutes or more of ice time, he starts playing 19 or fewer while sticking around as a mentor to the younger players.
Then there’s Mayfield, who has five more years on his deal at a $3 million AAV, making him a viable buyout candidate. Mayfield stepped up as a depth skater last season and fit in the role as well but it’s unlikely he’ll keep playing that way. So, there’s a good chance Darche moves on from him before the contract is up.
The Islanders must find a way out of all three of these deals and eventually replace them with younger skaters. The question is whether they have the defensemen capable of stepping up and replacing them? At first glance, it seems like they do but diving deeper, there are some issues with the long-term defensive outlook.
Where’s the Youth Movement?
Alexander Romanov is the anchor of the unit, and with Noah Dobson traded, he’s the only one they’ll build around for the future. Romanov isn’t a scoring defenseman, and the Islanders lack one heading into the season. That said, at 25 and in his prime, he can shut down opponents and be the leader of the unit.
There’s also Matthew Schaefer, who is the top pick in the recent draft and the wild card for both the defense and team altogether. In the long run, he’ll be a staple defenseman and possibly the star player who makes a difference every night. However, it’s unlikely the 18-year-old will make that impact this season, even if he’s on the NHL roster on opening night.
Then there’s Isaiah George, who is 21 and still developing. He showed flashes last season and is now expected to be a regular on defense. The question is whether he can be a top-four guy or not. He’s talented but what’s his ceiling? The same question applies to Kashawn Aitcheson, whom Darche selected with the 17th-overall pick in the 2025 draft. Aitcheson, like Schaefer, is a prospect yet doesn’t project as an elite talent (certainly not at the same level as Schaefer).
Ultimately, this leaves the Islanders in a rough spot on defense this season and the season after that. They can hang on with Pelech, Pulock, and Mayfield but they need at least a placeholder to prevent the unit from falling apart.
Darche’s Options in the Meantime
Tony DeAngelo and Adam Boqvist will be the placeholders for next season. There’s a chance the 25-year-old Boqvist becomes a regular in the long run, although he’s bounced around and must prove he belongs. They give Darche time. However, he must sign defensemen to short-term deals by next offseason as well.
It’s not ideal to patch together the defense every season. The reality is, it’s what the Islanders must do until they find replacements for Pelech, Pulock, and Mayfield. Darche will have to make signings that mirror the Mike Reilly addition from two seasons back, where they plug in a defenseman for the season.
This is also why Darche must remain committed to drafting the position. Yes, the Islanders have Schaefer to build around, and they selected Aitcheson to focus on adding reinforcement to the unit. That said, the outlook for the defense in the long run isn’t great, as the lack of a strongsecond or third pair can set them back.
