When Ryan Pulock was drafted 15th overall by the NY Islanders in the 2013 NHL Draft, the expectation was that he’d become an offensive defenseman with a howitzer of a shot.
Though he hasn’t become an offensive force in the NHL, he’s paved his way as a staunch defender, but still possesses that cannon of a shot.
At times, we’ve seen Pulock skate into shots, getting all 6’1” 220 lbs behind shot and hitting triple digits on the radar gun.
But Sunday night, Pulock uncorked the hardest shot of his 10+ year career, registering 103.01 mph – the hardest shot in Islanders history.
Ryan Pulock’s 103.01 mph blast on Sunday was the second-fastest shot recorded this season behind Morgan Geekie (103.03 mph on Nov. 11), as well as the fastest by an @NYIslanders player in the NHL EDGE era.#NHLStats: https://t.co/DQxqYtArwT pic.twitter.com/Ngp2gJZFy3
— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) November 24, 2025
Pulock’s blast came in the first period, as he trailed the play entering the zone. As Mat Barzal carried the puck down the right boards, he played the puck back to Pulock at the blue line, who blasted a shot at goaltender Joey Daccord that was turned aside.
While it’s the hardest shot in franchise history, these numbers have only been officially recorded since the 2021-22 season, when the NHL began using the NHL Edge technology.
Pulock’s triple-digit reading is the second hardest shot this season, narrowly edged out by Morgan Geekie of the Boston Bruins (103.03 mph), and the sixth hardest in NHL history, as that record is currently held by Tage Thompson of the Buffalo Sabres (106.00 mph).
Pulock remains one of the league’s more feared shooters from the blue line, and though his goal-scoring numbers don’t reflect it, his presence is enough for opposing players to think twice before stepping in front of one of his blasts.