New York Islanders Ryan Pulock Can Score 20 Goals in 2018-19

Defenseman Ryan Pulock could be the elite D-man the New York Islanders have been waiting hoping for for a long time. Maybe even Norris worthy.

Lets face it, the hockey media can be a very dark and evil place when it comes down to New York Islanders hockey. Without question that same media pounced on the John Tavares dilemma we would of all liked to drown in our own tears with.

With that negative hype leading into the 2018-19 season, there is still a lot of good to consider that big media does not seem to see in our small/big market franchise. One of these good vibes is New York Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock.

Warning: I am about to say something very very optimistic.

Norris Trophy?

Pulock could very well be a sleeper for the James Norris Trophy that goes out to the NHL’s top defenseman who shows the greatest all-around ability in his position. (You were warned)  And he can thank his 100 plus mph slap shot and his new Head Coach, Barry Trotz.

Barry Trotz is notorious for his defensive mindset that he successfully implements in his players. But he’s also great at finding the best traits in his players and using those traits in the right moment. And on a side note, Trotz actually speaks at post games like an actual NHL Head Coach. (Too soon?)

By looking at what we have seen so far during the power play in the preseason, Ryan Pulock seems to be in a similar position that Alex Ovechkin is famous for when he shoots that dynamic one timer shot, goal after goal.

That position is being on the right side of the crease during a one timer 1-3-1 power play that Trotz implemented back in the 2014 season. Just last year, Alex Ovechkin had 17 out of his 49 goals be on the power play.

That’s 35 percent of his goals that year. Pulock had five of his ten goals on the power play last year and he was not really used on the power play as substantial as we all would have liked.

You can put Pulock in the Ovie spot, or you can put him on the blueline. Either way, Ryan Pulock is going to score goals.

Just the other night against the New York Rangers Pulock showed how effective his shot has become. He scored two goals with slap shots from the point against none-other than Henrik Lundqvist.

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This year, times have changed, the team is under a whole new culture change from top to bottom. I am predicting that Pulock will have 20 plus goals this year and that alone can put him in the hockey gossip we expect Hedman, Burns and Karlsson to be in year after year.