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NY Islanders hit with another crushing injury blow as Ryan Pulock gets sidelined

ByJiggs Westfall
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Oct 17, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock (6) shoots the puck against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Oct 17, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock (6) shoots the puck against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Just when it looked like the New York Islanders couldn't possibly have any more bad injury luck, they got another dose of it.

Defenseman Ryan Pulock will miss two to four weeks with an upper-body injury, the team announced Sunday, adding another key name to an injury list that's getting uncomfortably long.

Pulock suffered the injury just 51 seconds into Thursday's 4-3 overtime win over the Minnesota Wild and never returned. He missed Saturday's 4-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers, and now the Islanders know they'll be without one of their most reliable defensemen for a significant stretch.

The 32-year-old underwent shoulder surgery during the offseason, though it's unclear whether his latest injury is related.

Pulock hasn't contributed much offensively, recording just one assist through 13 games, but that's hardly where his value lies. His 23 blocked shots rank second on the team, and his steady defensive presence is something Pete DeBoer's system relies on.

And the timing couldn't be worse.

Alexander Romanov is already sidelined long-term with a torn ACL, leaving the Islanders without two established members of their defensive core. Mathew Barzal, Calum Ritchie and Matias Maccelli remain unavailable up front.

That's five regulars missing from a team that was already being tested by its depth.

Against Edmonton, Adam Pelech moved alongside Matthew Schaefer, while Scott Mayfield and Matt Kessel formed the third pairing. Isaiah George, recalled Saturday as insurance, was returned to Hamilton on Sunday.

The Islanders have four days off before hosting the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday, giving DeBoer some time to figure out how to patch things together.

But there's only so much patching a team can do.

The Islanders have shown they can overcome adversity early this season. Now they'll have to prove they can keep doing it without another important piece of their blue line.

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