The New York Islanders have lost five of their last six and, perhaps looking for a spark, made a move from their minor-league affiliate on Monday.
Defenseman Adam Pelech, the club’s third-round pick (65th overall) at the 2012 draft, has been brought up to the bigs for the first time in his career, the club announced. Pelech got the call after a solid start to the season in Bridgeport; he had four points and a team-best plus-9 rating through 14 games and scored both of his goals this year shorthanded, which is somewhat rare from a defenseman.
A former standout with OHL Erie -- Pelech represented Canada at the U18 and World Junior tournaments -- Pelech could draw into the Islanders’ lineup soon. The club starts a three-game Western road swing in San Jose on Tuesday, and there’s some though Pelech could draw in and replace Brian Strait on the blueline.
Strait hasn’t been great this season and struggled in Sunday’s loss to the Bruins, taking a delay of game penalty while finishing with just 10:53 of ice time, the lowest among Isles d-men.