Islanders’ DeAngelo out with lower-body injury; Pulock a game-time decision
Some backend issues on Long Island will lead to a restructured lineup.
When speaking to the media, New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy revealed that defenseman Tony DeAngelo will not be in the lineup against the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night due to a lower-body injury. However, fellow defender Ryan Pulock might be in action, as Roy stated that the veteran will take warmups and is a game-time decision.
#Isles defenseman injury updates from coach Patrick Roy: Tony DeAngelo out tonight (lower body) Ryan Pulock to take warmups and be a game-time decision Alexander Romanov, who skated this morning in a no-contact orange jersey, is still not expected back in the regular season
DeAngelo suffered the injury on Tuesday night in a game against the Chicago Blackhawks. On a Blackhawks goal in the first period, DeAngelo seemed to have tweaked something, with the right-handed blueliner exiting the game shortly thereafter. He left the contest after logging just 6:09 of ice time across six shifts. The Isles went on to lose the game 4-3, sending them out of a playoff spot.
Thursday night will mark DeAngelo’s first absence this season. In appearing in all 72 games thus far, the 30-year-old has scored five goals and 28 assists for 33 points, good for second on the team in helpers and fifth in overall scoring. His production and health are the best they have been in a few years, as the 2025-26 campaign is the first time DeAngelo has played in over 40 games and scored over 30 points since the 2022-23 season while a member of the Carolina Hurricanes. He also has a plus/minus of -3 while averaging just over 19 minutes of ice time per game.
Pulock has missed the last two games due to a lower-body injury. It has been part of a rough couple of months for the fellow veteran. He suffered an upper-body injury earlier this month that forced him to miss a game, with another UBI forcing the 31-year-old to be absent from the lineup in January.
In 67 appearances, Pulock has scored three goals and 22 assists for 25 points. He has a +14 rating, just shy of his career-best +21 that he set during the 2018-19 campaign, while averaging a hair under 21 minutes of ice time per game.
The Islanders (40-27-5) are fourth in the Metropolitan Division, just outside of a Wild Card spot, and one point behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for third in the division.