Pulock Excited for 'Bright Future' with Isles

The Islanders have Ryan Pulock locked and loaded for another two years.

The defenseman agreed to a two-year deal, as announced on Wednesday morning.
"I'm really happy that we could get the deal done," Pulock said via Zoom on Wednesday afternoon. "I'm really excited to be back for two more years. This team has come a long way and the future is bright."
For the second-straight season, the 26-year-old led Isles defensemen in scoring with 35 points in 68 games during the regular season, including a career-high of 10 goals. Through 22 games of the team's 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs run - where the Islanders reached the Eastern Conference Final for the first time since 1993 - Pulock recorded 10 points (2G, 8A).
By agreeing to terms on his two-year deal on Wednesday, the restricted-free agent avoided arbitration, where his filing date was scheduled for Friday, Nov. 6.

"The big thing for us was just trying to make something work that was good for both [sides]," Pulock said. "In terms of the flat cap and what we were comfortable doing. I think the big thing in the deal was just trying to make it work from both sides."
Since becoming a mainstay with the Isles in 2017, the Isles' 2013 first-rounder (15th overall) has matured with each season and embraced his hefty role. During this past regular season, Pulock averaged the most ice time (22 :24) and logged the most minutes with 1,523:44. That workload regularly included the task of shutting down opposing teams' top lines, which he and his fellow d-partner Adam Pelech were assigned nightly.
Pulock also played on one of the Islanders two power-play units, where he posted eight power-play points (3G, 5A) during the regular season and three points in the postseason with two power-play goals. Pulock noted the pride that he and his fellow blueliners have earned in the last few seasons after garnering a reputation around the league as a disciplined and suffocating group to play against and posing offensive threats.

"As a d-core, it's always been a collective job back there," Pulock said. "Everyone steps up, everyone does their job. I think the future is bright back there and I look forward to being a big part of that."
While the timeline for when Pulock and the Isles will be back in action is still uncertain, he is continuing to diligently prepare for the targeted Jan. 1 start date as was released by the league on Oct. 6.
"It's different," Pulock said of the current offseason. "It's almost like we're back at the end of the [regular season] before playoffs in that uncertainty of when it might start and what it's going to look. For myself, right now I'm just preparing for that early January date. If that gets delayed, I'll continue training. It is different just not knowing the dates and when things could fire up."