Overview
- The Islanders confirmed on Sunday that veteran defenseman Ryan Pulock will be sidelined two to four weeks after leaving Thursday’s game just 51 seconds in with an upper-body injury.
- The club briefly recalled defenseman Isaiah George on Oct. 31 but returned him to AHL Hamilton on Nov. 1 as the team continues to weigh short-term roster moves.
- Coach Pete DeBoer adjusted defensive pairings for the next games, moving Matt Kessel with Scott Mayfield, Logan Stanley with Tony DeAngelo, and Matthew Schaefer to Adam Pelech’s right side.
- Pulock had offseason shoulder surgery, though team reports say it is unclear whether the new injury is related, and his absence compounds other current injuries to Matias Maccelli, Mathew Barzal, Calum Ritchie and Alexander Romanov.
- The immediate effect is heavier minutes for younger defenders and a short window for the club to rest players, monitor recoveries and consider temporary reinforcements before the next game stretch.