Ryan Pulock was back in the Islanders’ lineup Tuesday night for the first time since mid-November.
The defenseman took part in morning skate and was activated prior to the game against the Senators. Robin Salo was no longer listed on the roster, indicating he’ll be sent down in a corresponding move.
Pulock, who was responsible for the signature moment of last year’s playoff run, when he blocked Ryan McDonagh’s shot in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup semifinals in the game’s final seconds, has been sorely missed by the Islanders since he suffered a lower-body injury. He was out for a month longer than the original four-to-six week timeline given for his return, and without him, the Islanders have slipped to the outer fringes of the playoff race.
“He’s such a big piece of our team,” Matt Martin said. “Been a dynamic defenseman for us for the last number of years. If he’s back in the lineup tonight, it’s gonna give us a big boost.”
The Islanders have too often felt the lack of a puck-moving defenseman without Pulock in the lineup. Though Noah Dobson has taken strides, and Salo’s development counts as a silver lining, the team’s offensive production is near the bottom of the league. That’s in no small part because they’ve struggled to get through the neutral zone.
Pulock can’t single-handedly solve that problem. But he will help, potentially in a big way.
“He’s just got a great shot, for starters, I think that’s something that other teams really focus on trying to take away, which can open up things for everyone else,” Martin said. “He’s a veteran defenseman in this league who’s played big minutes. So with him out of the lineup, it kinda makes everybody take on a bit of a different role.”
Besides Dobson, though, an offensive-minded defenseman is a role the Islanders have struggled to fill. Salo is promising, but young. Adam Pelech is an All-Star, but his contributions come in the defensive zone. Scott Mayfield has just 10 points this season. Zdeno Chara and Andy Greene are both older and unable to do much offensively.
Without Pulock, the Islanders have often been playing with one hand tied behind their back.
If he’s indeed back, the Islanders will have to sort through lineup dominos, mainly the question of what to do with Salo. Averaging 17:03 time on ice, the 23-year old has acquitted himself well, playing on the second power-play unit and proving he belongs at the NHL level.
But it seems he’ll be the odd man out. Trotz has said Greene and Chara will both get rested more frequently in the second half of the season, but nothing indicates either one is about to lose his spot in the lineup.
“We’ll approach it on a game-to-game basis, that’s all,” Trotz said when asked about the lineup decisions.
That is a problem he’ll be happy to deal with. As for Pulock, Trotz said his minutes could be limited, but he’ll still play five-on-five and “maybe a little bit of power play.”
“He will help us, he’s a veteran guy who’s important to our lineup,” Trotz said. “He’s missed, I don’t know, probably 25 games or so, which is significant for us. He’s a big piece for us, offensively and defensively.”
The Islanders went 10-11-4 without Pulock in the lineup.