The New York Islanders have announced that they have re-signed restricted free agent defenceman Ryan Pulock to a two-year, $10 million contract. The contract carries an annual average value of $5 million per season.
NYI and Ryan Pulock have a deal: 2 years, $5M AAV
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) November 4, 2020
Islanders Re-Sign Ryan Pulock
Pulock had an outstanding season for the Islanders during the 2019-20 campaign. He was the most utilized defenceman for the club averaging 22:24 minutes per game during the regular season. He led the team in ice time during the Stanley Cup Playoffs with an average of 22:42 during their deep playoff run.
In 68 games during the regular season, Pulock scored 10 goals and added 25 assists for 35 points in 68 games. He also recorded two goals and eight assists in 20 playoff games.
Over his career, Pulock has scored 31 goals and added 77 assists for 108 points in 234 games.
Pulock was originally drafted by the Islanders in the first round, 15th overall, in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
Islanders Secure Their Top Defenceman
With the announcement of the Pulock signing, the Islanders have now secured their top defenceman. Pulock is a consistent 30 point scorer for the Islanders while also bringing an outstanding defensive game. 56 percent of Pulock’s zone starts came in the defensive zone. Pulock is also a very effective special teams player who plays on both special teams for the Islanders. Eight of his 35 points were scored with the man advantage. He also scored three game-winners.
With the announcement of the Pulock signing, the Islanders will certainly need to look to move out some cap. The Islanders didn’t have a whole lot of work to do in terms of their own free agents this offseason. However, two of their top players at the forward and defence positions were restricted free agents in Mathew Barzal and Pulock. The Islanders will need to look to move out some cap in order to make both players fit under the cap. This is a minor issue, as both playoffs and extremely important for the club moving forward. Getting Pulock signed was key for the Islanders. The 26-year-old should be a mainstay for the Islanders’ defence group for years to come.
Main Photo
