Islanders Lose Ryan Pulock for 2-4 Weeks, Forcing an Already Taxed Blue Line into Overdrive

The New York Islanders just lost veteran defenseman Ryan Pulock for two to four weeks with an upper-body injury, which is exactly what a team treading water in the Metropolitan Division did not need. Daily Faceoff reported the timeline Sunday, confirming that whatever happened during Thursday's overtime win against the Minnesota Wild was enough to put him in street clothes for up to a month.

Pulock apparently tweaked something while tangling with Wild forward Yakov Trenin. Losing a 6-foot-2, 220-pound blueliner who eats heavy minutes is the kind of roster blow that forces coaches to look down their bench and realize they are completely out of good options.

The veteran is currently in the fifth season of an eight-year, $49.2 million contract. While his offensive production has dipped to just one assist in 13 games this year, his real value is being a reliable defensive anchor. He was averaging over 17 minutes of ice time a night, and you do not just replace that by asking a depth piece to skate faster.

The Islanders are sitting fourth in the Metro with 16 points through 14 games, which is the hockey equivalent of a dial tone. Without Pulock, New York is going to have to lean even harder on second-year defenseman Matthew Schaefer. Schaefer is already logging nearly 27 minutes a game, which ranks third in the entire NHL, and at this rate, he might literally never leave the ice.

Bettors looking at the Islanders' upcoming schedule should probably factor in a heavily taxed blue line. New York hosts the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday before wrapping up a homestand against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday. If Matt Kessel draws into the lineup to fill the void as expected, opposing offenses are going to test the Islanders' depth early and often.