Will the New York Islanders’ Pivot to a Younger Defense Work? – The Hockey Writers – New York Islanders

The New York Islanders, for years, were led by a great defense. The same group, with Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock on the top pair, fueled their success earlier in the decade when they had deep playoff runs and allowed them to win low-scoring games. A great defense was an Islanders staple.

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Now their defense is older and on the decline. Last season, the group was riddled with injuries and a step behind on the ice as the Islanders allowed 3.13 goals per game. The group that was great earlier in the decade is a weakness now, and the Islanders must move on from it, maybe not this season but at least by the start of the season after.

Pelech, Pulock, & Mayfield All Take Up Key Roster Spots

Pelech, Pulock, and Scott Mayfield are three veterans who went from being the core building blocks to the trio weighing the unit down. Last season, they weren’t the top pair of skaters, and moving forward, they are second-pair options. The question is how the new general manager (GM), Mathieu Darche, moves on from them?

Pelech is the only defenseman Darche can trade if he wants to take that path. He has four years left on a contract with $5.75 million average annual value (AAV) and a 16-team no-movement clause. It’s a hard contract to move on from and won’t bring back a big return in a trade (unless the Islanders retain salary), which speaks volumes to the difficulty of moving on from the other defensemen.

Pulock’s contract has five more years on it and a full no-trade clause. Like Pelech, his decline and recent injury history have diminished his value. So, the Islanders will likely look to phase him into a depth role starting with this season. Instead of playing 21 minutes or more of ice time, he starts playing 19 or fewer while sticking around as a mentor to the younger players.

Then there’s Mayfield, who has five more years on his deal at a $3 million AAV, making him a viable buyout candidate. Mayfield stepped up as a depth skater last season and fit in the role as well but it’s unlikely he’ll keep playing that way. So, there’s a good chance Darche moves on from him before the contract is up.

The Islanders must find a way out of all three of these deals and eventually replace them with younger skaters. The question is whether they have the…