It was announced Wednesday, March 20, that the Bridgeport Islanders signed Alex Jefferies to an amateur tryout. The struggling Bridgeport team will not be making the AHL playoffs this season, but this signing means far more than that. Now officially in the New York Islanders organization, he will be able to show his worth at the professional level as he attempts to make the NHL level.
How Will He Help?
While he is right-handed, Jeffries plays the left wing, a need in the Islanders organization. The 2020 fourth-round selection is a well-skating, playmaking forward who keeps his head up and utilizes his vision to drive offense. He has the upside to dominate at the professional level, best shown by being Merrimack College’s 2024 Hobey Baker Nominee this season. While he is not a sniper, he will slot in well to Bridgeport’s top six, ideally on a line with Ruslan Iskhakov and Matthew Maggio. The three are hopeful to join the NHL roster soon, so building chemistry with one another now could pay dividends in the future.
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In the long term, he will not have much internal competition to make the NHL roster, so he needs to learn as much now so that when the time comes, he can dominate at the NHL level. The Islanders’ forward core is aging, with players such as Matt Martin, Cal Clutterbuck, Casey Cizikas, Kyle Palmieri, and more getting up in age. Whether it is in one or four seasons, he is very likely to receive an opportunity to play at UBS Arena at some point.
Jeffries could slot in on the power play and middle six but is most likely to be a bottom-six winger. With his big body, he could play a checking role if needed, but he would best be utilized on a line with speedy wingers with strong shots. Iskhakov is a likely fit, as well as Maggio, but slotting in on a line with Simon Holmstrom on the other wing would put two similar players with strong, well-rounded games in a position to find success. The center would be crucial, with Cizikas being a good fit in the short term, but it would likely be filled by a draft selection or free agent if in the long-term future.
For a team with such a bare prospect pool, Jefferies has emerged as one of the bright spots. He may not be the flashy, high-profile prospect that Islanders fans want, but he is poised to be a future NHL player and is a name fans should remember. If you can get to a Bridgeport game before the season ends, you will get a great opportunity to see him play. If not, he will likely be there once again next season due to the logjam at wing on the NHL roster, despite being close to NHL-ready.