Former New York Islanders defenseman and restricted free agent Devon Toews received his payday on Tuesday, and soon Ryan Pulock will be looking for his.
The 26-year-old defenseman is also an RFA and remains unsigned by the Isles. Pulock elected to file for arbitration and is scheduled for a hearing on Nov. 6. The Islanders would like to have his contract handled before that date, but Pulock is due for a major raise from his previous two-year, $4 million bridge deal he signed in 2018.
Pulock has become a top-pairing defenseman for the Islanders, who logged an average of 22:24 of ice time per game this past season. It was the second consecutive year that Pulock has averaged more than 20 minutes a game and he is constantly up against the opposing team’s top players.
Pulock had 35 points (10 goals, 25 assists) for the Islanders last season and has recorded 30 or more points in three consecutive seasons. Pulock was one of the Islanders most important and stabilizing forces on the ice during the postseason as well this year during their run to the conference finals.
He had 10 points (two goals, eight assists) for the Islanders in 22 playoff games this year.
Another look at Ryan Pulock's block on Ondrej Palat at the end of the third period for the #Isles pic.twitter.com/QnMuooJc3q
— NYI Hockey Now (@NYIHockeyNow) September 16, 2020
Suffice to say Pulock’s value to the islanders is well documented and the defenseman will be deserving of a sizable increase in pay. Pulock is likely looking at a new deal in the neighborhood of $6 million when all is said and done for seven years.
The Islanders would want to lock up the talented defenseman for an extended period of time and keep him alongside Adam Pelech for as long as possible.
Obviously, the Islanders cap situation and the league’s flat cap make predicting contracts a bit tougher, but there are a few comparables that might lead us to where Pulock’s contract ends up. For instance, Winnipeg’s Josh Morrissey was signed to an eight-year, $50 million ($6.25 million AAV) contract extension last September.
Morrissey was coming off a year where he had career highs in points (31) and time on ice (22:24) in his third full season in the NHL. The 25-year-old put up another 31 point season in 2019-20.
What type of contract will Ryan Pulock get? #NHLTonight pic.twitter.com/S6h9FCpwu6
— NHL Media (@NHLMedia) October 15, 2020
Considering the number of minutes they play and the offensive production they both have, Morrissey is a good example of what Pulock might stand to receive.
Jonas Brodin’s new seven-year, $42 million deal he signed in Minnesota might also provide insight. Similarly to Pulock, Brodin was a top-four defenseman in Minnesota last season and averaged 21:33 of ice time. He also finished the year with 28 points (two goals, 26 assists).
There are nine days before Pulock’s arbitration date and the Islanders would like to get something done before that date. What that will be, only time will tell.
