The New York Islanders blueline took another hit as Ryan Pulock is now on IR for at least a week with a lower body injury. In response, the Islanders have sent a 2024 7th-round pick to the St. Louis Blues for little-used Robert Bortuzzo, 34.
Like the waiver claim of Mike Reilly after both Adam Pelech and Sebastian Aho hit IR, this is an affordable move for a veteran guy to join a cap-squeezed team in need. Pelech is on LTIR, giving the Isles a little temporary cap breathing room.
Bortuzzo carries a $950,000 cap hit and has only appeared in four games this season. He’s a long-time Blue — the stench of his Penguins origins has long since worn off — but others have passed him on the depth chart (including Marco Scandella, much to the consternation of many Blues fans).
It will be interesting to see how the Isles distribute the minutes, as Bortuzzo is a PK guy, definitely not a PP performer. But this may allow them to continue leaning on Noah Dobson for all-situation minutes, while now leaning on Reilly (and Aho if he returns soon?) for puck mobility, while Bortuzzo and Scott Mayfield handle tougher assignments. Maybe.
The Islanders, two games into a six-game homestand, have a couple of tough ones coming up with the Los Angeles Kings and Toronto Maple Leafs incoming. It’s a tough setting to be missing half your regular blueline.