Islanders ink Pelech to four-year pact

Hoping Rookie Can Fill ‘Important Defensive Role’ Going Forward

July 25, 2017 By John Torenli, Sports Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Young defenseman Adam Pelech hopes to continue shadowing opponents along the boards for the Islanders after inking a four-year contract with the team on Monday. AP Photo by Mary Altaffer

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With proven defenseman Travis Hamonic moving from Downtown Brooklyn to Calgary, the New York Islanders are hoping their youth movement can help fill the void left by the veteran blue liner.

Young defenseman Adam Pelech figures to log many more minutes on the ice than he did during his rookie campaign next season, especially after general manager Garth Snow inked him to a four-year contract worth a reported $6.4 million on Monday.

Pelech, 22, appeared in 44 games with the Islanders last year, scoring three goals, picking up seven assists and earning the trust of his veteran teammates along the way.

“Adam has proven at a very young age that he’s capable of playing an important defensive role on our team,” Snow said.

“He will be an important piece of our defensive core moving forward and I’m excited to watch him continue to develop at the NHL level,” added Snow, who also used a handful of his draft picks last month to fortify the Isles’ last line of defense, including two-way Finnish blue liner Robin Salo.

Pelech, who also had five points (one goal and four assists) in 13 American Hockey League contests during the 2016-17 campaign, was originally selected by the Isles in the third round (65th overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft.

In 53 career games with the Isles, the Toronto native has amassed three goals and nine assists while adding 23 points (three goals and 20 assists) in 105 AHL games.

“I was thrilled,” Pelech told Newsday of the signing.

“It’s a great feeling when an organization puts that type of faith in you . . . Hopefully, over the next four years I can establish myself as an NHL regular and push the Islanders toward [the playoffs].”

Hamonic, who was dealt to Calgary in June for a trio of draft picks, including a first-rounder, was the indisputable heart and soul of the Isles’ defense during seven seasons here in New York.

Now, the Isles are hoping young players like Pelech, who represented Canada at the 2014 World Junior Championships and the 2012 World Under-18 Junior Championships, can begin living up to their expectations as the next wave of reliable players in front of the New York net.

Pelech won’t be expected to do the job alone as veteran defenseman like Johnny Boychuk, Nick Leddy, Thomas Hickey, Dennis Seidenberg and Scott Mayfield are all also under contract for the upcoming 2017-18 campaign.

“We have a lot of depth on our blue line and it’s going to give our younger [defensemen] an opportunity to have some playing time,” Snow said after dealing Hamonic, who was the team’s longest-tenured defenseman at the time of the trade.

“We’re really confident in that position moving forward, so it’s a situation we felt we could capitalize on and get some assets. Whether we use those [draft picks] in the future in a draft, or use them as a currency in a future player transaction, it’s a good luxury for our organization to have.”

Snow is expected to bring in more forward talent to play alongside team captain John Tavares, who will become a free agent following next season unless the Isles find a way to get him to sign a long-term extension this summer.

They have already added former Edmonton standout Jordan Eberle this offseason, and are rumored to be interested in Colorado’s Matt Duchene.

New York missed out on the final Eastern Conference playoff spot by a single point last season after putting together a furious second-half push following the firing of long-time head coach Jack Capuano, and the installation of former assistant Doug Weight.

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The Brooklyn Nets continued to fill out their roster this past week, locking up first-round pick Jarrett Allen to a multi-year pact.

Allen, the 22nd overall selection out of the University of Texas at last month’s NBA Draft within the friendly confines of Downtown’s Barclays Center, only spent one season with Longhorns, averaging 13.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per contest while logging an average of 32 minutes.

The Round Rock, Texas, native recorded 12 double-doubles on the year (tied for third-most by a freshman in UT history), including eight in Big 12 Conference play.

The 6-foot-11 center ranked fourth on the school’s all-time list in total rebounds (278) and rebounding average (8.4) by a freshman.

Following the season, Allen was named to the All-Big 12 Third Team and to the league’s all-newcomer list.

The Nets also signed Yakuba Ouattara to a two-way contract this week.

The 6-foot-3 member of the French national squad spent the 2016-17 season playing for AS Monaco Basket of the French LNB Pro A league.

In 32 total games, he averaged 11.8 points on 51.4 percent (147-of-286) shooting from the floor, including a 40.0 percent (40-of-100) clip from beyond the arc, while pulling down 3.3 rebounds in 23.9 minutes per contest.

As per team policy, the Nets have not publicly released terms of either contract.