Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock appears closer to returning

The Islanders’ stretch run will begin shortly.

All hands are expected and needed to be on deck in order for a playoff push. With 27 games remaining in the regular season, time is of the essence.

So for Ryan Pulock to stand on the blue line at practice Thursday morning at Northwell Health Ice Center wearing a contact jersey was, in coach Patrick Roy’s words, “encouraging.”

“It’s good to have guys back,” Roy said. “[Scott Mayfield and Pulock] looked really good today in practice, so I assume we’ll see how it goes on Saturday and see if they’re ready to play on Sunday.”

Pulock suffered an upper-body injury 15 seconds into the 3-2 overtime win on Jan. 25 over the Hurricanes when Carolina right wing Jackson Blake clipped his left leg as the two skated around the Islanders’ net, causing the defenseman to corkscrew onto the ice, landing arm-first.

Pulock did not return to the contest. He has not played since, and the Islanders (25-23-7, 57 points) are 4-3-0 in the seven games without one of their veteran defensemen.

“His leadership, what he brings communication-wise, and comfortability-wise on the back end,” Mayfield said when asked about Pulock’s attributes. “That’s something important that fans might not see as much. On the ice, it speaks for itself. He’s a good hockey player. He’s got a hard shot. He moves the puck well.”

During the 35-minute practice, Pulock skated on the second pair with Scott Perunovich. The first pair was comprised of Alexander Romanov and Tony DeAngelo, while the third unit was Adam Pelech and Mayfield.

Adam Boqvist was an extra, as were Dennis Cholowski and Matt Martin. Noah Dobson and goaltender Marcus Hogberg did not practice.

“He looks good to me,” DeAngelo said. “I’ve been watching him play for years, [so it’s] not surprising to see him look good. Hopefully we get him back soon.”

The possibility that Roy could be able to pencil the names of Pulock and Mayfield (lower body) into the lineup for Sunday’s game at UBS Arena against Dallas means that the Islanders could dress four of the seven defensemen they began the season with.

Dobson (lower body) has not played since bending his right leg awkwardly in the Islanders’ 3-1 win over Columbus on Jan. 20 following a check from the Blue Jackets’ Cole Sillinger. And Mike Reilly has not played since the Islanders’ 4-3 overtime win over the Sabres on Nov. 1. In that game, Reilly suffered a concussion and during a subsequent exam, doctors discovered the 31-year-old had a heart condition that required surgery. Reilly started skating on his own in December. He has not, however, begun practicing.

In response to the injuries to Dobson and Pulock, general manager Lou Lamoriello signed DeAngelo, who was playing in the KHL.

Lamoriello also claimed Boqvist off waivers from Florida, and traded for Perunovich.

The additional bodies give Roy the luxury of choosing among seven defensemen to dress for the match against the Stars.

“I will say this: It will be interesting,” Roy said. “I mean we’re going to have to make some decisions and tough ones.”