Player Discussion: Pulock

Mr Misunderstood

Loser Point User
Apr 11, 2016
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10,898
Charlotte, NC
What I'd look for if/when we make a trade:

Leddy-Boychuk
New Guy-Pulock
deHaan-Mayfield

Get a two-way or a defensive guy in that spot, and all of the sudden our defense becomes very well-rounded. Obviously, so long as Pulock plays like he did last night. The Kings were confident in Voynov when he was starting his NHL career to give him top-4 minutes as a contending team. Pulock is actually on a very similar track.

On the ice ONLY.
 
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Lame Lambert

Fire Lou
Mar 5, 2015
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I’d leave him with Leddy. Apparently their advanced stats were best on both teams last night.
 

Glory Days

Registered User
Aug 16, 2012
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I’d leave him with Leddy. Apparently their advanced stats were best on both teams last night.

Leaving him with Leddy might result in less rushes with Leddy. Remember what happened when Leddy played with Travis. Leddy needs to play with Boychuk when he gets back. Pulock needs to play with a good skating defensive defenceman. Hjalmarsson would be good for Pulock's development.
 

Lame Lambert

Fire Lou
Mar 5, 2015
21,216
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Leaving him with Leddy might result in less rushes with Leddy. Remember what happened when Leddy played with Travis. Leddy needs to play with Boychuk when he gets back. Pulock needs to play with a good skating defensive defenceman. Hjalmarsson would be good for Pulock's development.
Maybe, but that didn’t happen last night.
 

Konk

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Mar 11, 2008
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Leaving him with Leddy might result in less rushes with Leddy. Remember what happened when Leddy played with Travis. Leddy needs to play with Boychuk when he gets back. Pulock needs to play with a good skating defensive defenceman. Hjalmarsson would be good for Pulock's development.
I'll tell you one thing -- leaving him with Leddy is rubbing off on him. In a very good way.

Pulock in the WHL was a fast-paced puck rusher. He was a high-flying mover up the ice with the puck, always with a full head of steam, as they say.

Watching him transform his game has been interesting. In the NHL, especially this year, he's taking the Nick Leddy approach to puck rushing. You see him take a slower pace up the ice and he only starts moving quickly as players commit or make a move, he'll make a quick move himself to get around them or make a play to keep it moving forward. His rushes are slow and composed now, like Leddy. He may never reach Leddy's elite ability to do this as Leddy is a much better skater and thus his quick acceleration allows him to do more with this style, but Pulock seems to be imitating it and is starting to have some success nevertheless.
 

PWJunior

Stay safe!
Apr 11, 2010
42,751
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Long Island, NY
I'll tell you one thing -- leaving him with Leddy is rubbing off on him. In a very good way.

Pulock in the WHL was a fast-paced puck rusher. He was a high-flying mover up the ice with the puck, always with a full head of steam, as they say.

Watching him transform his game has been interesting. In the NHL, especially this year, he's taking the Nick Leddy approach to puck rushing. You see him take a slower pace up the ice and he only starts moving quickly as players commit or make a move, he'll make a quick move himself to get around them or make a play to keep it moving forward. His rushes are slow and composed now, like Leddy. He may never reach Leddy's elite ability to do this as Leddy is a much better skater and thus his quick acceleration allows him to do more with this style, but Pulock seems to be imitating it and is starting to have some success nevertheless.

Great point, he looks so much more composed on his rushes. He looks like he has a plan now, hopefully the 'A-HA' moment in Pulock's development. If what he's flashing is what he is ultimately is, patience has paid off.

I love what I'm seeing right now. He looks like a 4th forward out there, a skill forward with his dangles. His confidence is showing.
 
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Glory Days

Registered User
Aug 16, 2012
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Charlotte
I'll tell you one thing -- leaving him with Leddy is rubbing off on him. In a very good way.

Pulock in the WHL was a fast-paced puck rusher. He was a high-flying mover up the ice with the puck, always with a full head of steam, as they say.

Watching him transform his game has been interesting. In the NHL, especially this year, he's taking the Nick Leddy approach to puck rushing. You see him take a slower pace up the ice and he only starts moving quickly as players commit or make a move, he'll make a quick move himself to get around them or make a play to keep it moving forward. His rushes are slow and composed now, like Leddy. He may never reach Leddy's elite ability to do this as Leddy is a much better skater and thus his quick acceleration allows him to do more with this style, but Pulock seems to be imitating it and is starting to have some success nevertheless.

I agree playing with Leddy would be good for Pulock. That wasn't my point. I just think it is bad for Leddy. I think we will see far less rushes from Leddy. Same thing happened when Leddy played with Travis. His offense and his overall game was not as good as when he played with Boychuk.
 

Kevin27NYI

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Aug 5, 2009
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“When you look like him, 225, he’s strong, a good skater, but his technique was poor. He’s been working on it and now it’s second nature for him. That’s a credit to (assistant coach) Luke (Richardson), Cro (associate coach Greg Cronin) and Ryan.”

Pulock making good on his potential for Isles

I mentioned he looked like a roller hockey player to me, very odd style indeed. Glad the coaches are fixing his techniques.
 

MatthewBarnabysTears

Registered User
Mar 18, 2013
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“When you look like him, 225, he’s strong, a good skater, but his technique was poor. He’s been working on it and now it’s second nature for him. That’s a credit to (assistant coach) Luke (Richardson), Cro (associate coach Greg Cronin) and Ryan.”

Pulock making good on his potential for Isles

I mentioned he looked like a roller hockey player to me, very odd style indeed. Glad the coaches are fixing his techniques.

Something that article points out that's gratifying to see is that, yet again, advanced stats confirm what we all see on the ice even when the traditional stats don't as much. Makes it all the more silly when some fans complain that stat nerds are the ones who need to "watch games."
 
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doublechili

For all intensive purposes, your nuts
Apr 11, 2006
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Someone mentioned recently that they'd love to have a player like Adrian Aucoin again. That made me think that Pulock might end up being kind of a similar player. Second pairing, RH cannon shot guy with a bit of size.
 

MatthewBarnabysTears

Registered User
Mar 18, 2013
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Someone mentioned recently that they'd love to have a player like Adrian Aucoin again. That made me think that Pulock might end up being kind of a similar player. Second pairing, RH cannon shot guy with a bit of size.

Something I remember Aucoin excelling at was taking every opportunity to fire at the net—blue line, center ice, wherever. With a shot like Pulock's, I really wish he'd gain the confidence to just force the goalie to react quickly, even if he doesn't have the screen or deflection set up.
 

mm11

Registered User
Jan 26, 2005
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Something I remember Aucoin excelling at was taking every opportunity to fire at the net—blue line, center ice, wherever. With a shot like Pulock's, I really wish he'd gain the confidence to just force the goalie to react quickly, even if he doesn't have the screen or deflection set up.

If I recall Aucoin played like 100 games in the AHL and then a good 150 games in the NHL before busting out. Good camparison. Hopefully the Isles are patient with pulock which so far they have shown
 

PWJunior

Stay safe!
Apr 11, 2010
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Long Island, NY
If I recall Aucoin played like 100 games in the AHL and then a good 150 games in the NHL before busting out. Good camparison. Hopefully the Isles are patient with pulock which so far they have shown

Aucoin initially broke out with Vancouver. He was traded to TB for a brief stretch until we traded for him. I remember the big shot and I remember that this dude could play huge minutes and long shifts like it was nothing. He would be out there every other shift and they wouldn't be brief shifts either. I'd have to look up his average ice time with us, it has to be at least 25+.

If Pulock is another Aucoin level player, I'd be very happy.

EDIT: Aucoin had ATOI of 28:54, 29:01, and 26:38 as an Isle. That's insane.
 

Isles1966

Registered User
Oct 14, 2017
80
25
I am definitely liking Pulocks play of late. I do find however him and the forwards a little out of sync on the offence. He is still learning where to best position himself at the blue-line and the forwards on when to get him the puck. It is new and these guys and coaches are pros so they will figure it out and then Pulocks point total will progress.

When thinking about trading for another D-man, I question it a bit as with our 3 young D-men, they are still progressing you can see it each new game. By feb. I feel we may be saying why trade for that guy Pelech is better than him and so on unless were trying to trade for a OEL or Karlsson of course, progression may nullify the need for a trade.
 

crasherino

Registered User
May 9, 2013
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Great point, he looks so much more composed on his rushes. He looks like he has a plan now, hopefully the 'A-HA' moment in Pulock's development. If what he's flashing is what he is ultimately is, patience has paid off.

I love what I'm seeing right now. He looks like a 4th forward out there, a skill forward with his dangles. His confidence is showing.

Composed is a good way to describe his breakouts now.

He seems like a guy who needs his confidence and slow build up to his role as a regular D man in this league.

Hopefully we look back in several years - when he hits his prime - and say what a good job the Islanders did in bringing him along slowly.

50-6 could be a great pairing for our future. Pelechs defensive ying is a nice complement to Pulocks offensive yang.
 

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