New York Islanders: Ryan Pulock and Adam Pelech get some much deserved love
New York Islanders are going to love what Mike Johnson had to say on the NHL Network.
If there’s one segment of the NHL game that doesn’t get enough praise, it’s defensemen.
They score fewer goals than the forwards, seldom serve as a franchise’s focal point, and don’t even get to wear the auxiliary gear that makes goalies every child’s favorite part of the game; though, for the record, goalies deserve a bit more love too (more on that here).
However, on a recent segment on NHL Tonight, ex-player/current analyst Mike Johnson gave a little love to the New York Islanders and their arguably two most important players, Ryan Pulock and Adam Pelech.
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Dubbed as ‘the two best defensemen on one of the best defensive teams in the league”, a nickname that could probably use a bit of copyediting, Pulock and Pelech’s complimentary styles have formed a tandem among the best and brightest in the NHL right now, even if folks like NHL.Com’s Fantasy Hockey Staff feel otherwise.
Despite only playing 38 games in an already slightly abbreviated season, Pelech still managed to rack up an impressive 83 blocks, 81 hits, and 32 takeaways, to go along with his one goal and eight assists. Over the course of his career-high 21:08 average time on ice, Pelech’s superb ice awareness, when mixed with an active stick, made him an ideal glue guy that every team in the NHL would love to have, but most don’t.
And as for Pulock? Well, he’s the prototypical modern defenseman. Over his 22:24 ATOI, which was also a career-high, Pulock recorded 139 blocks, 110 hits, and 15 takeaways, in addition to 10 goals and 25 assists on the offensive end of the ice. His three game-winning goals tied for third on the team, and his 35 points was the most by an Islanders’ defender since, well since himself one season prior.
Pair those two up, in addition to Russian goalie Semyon Varlamov, who really should change his name to ‘Pvarlamov’ to form the ‘Killer Ps’, and you have arguably the best defensive collection in the Metro Division, maybe in the NHL as a whole.
Don’t believe me? Well, why don’t you listen to what Johnson has to say on the topic? After 12 years in the NHL, I’m sure he knows a thing or two about tough defense.
"These two guys have become the two best defensemen on one of the best defensive teams in the league."@mike_p_johnson on @rpulock and Adam Pelech. @NYIslanders | #NHLTonight pic.twitter.com/PxiFPnbm7w
— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) November 19, 2020
Honestly, I couldn’t have said it better myself.
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Since making their debuts during the 2015-16 NHL season, Ryan Pulock and Adam Pelech have slowly but surely established themselves as two of the best defensemen in the NHL, with complementary styles that make the lives of opposing shooters a whole lot harder. While neither has made it to an All-Star game, at this point, it’s only a matter of time, as are potential contract extensions that should keep the 26-year-olds together for a very long time.