With the World Junior Championship (WJC) starting on Dec. 26 in Gothenburg, Sweden, New York Islanders fans will have just two prospects to watch in the tournament. After initially being placed on Team Sweden’s preliminary roster, it came out that Calle Odelius did not make the final cut due to a foot injury sustained on Nov. 23. Nonetheless, the Islanders will be represented by Americans Danny Nelson and Quinn Finley.
Danny Nelson
Danny Nelson is a 6-foot-3, 212-pound winger from Maple Grove, Minnesota. He currently plays for the University of Notre Dame in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Nelson, who has three goals and 11 assists for 14 points in 18 games so far this season, trails just Chicago Blackhawks prospect Landon Slaggert, a senior who was drafted 79th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft. Nelson, who is on the younger side of 2023 draftees, was taken 49th by the Islanders this past summer in the NHL Entry Draft and is currently looking like a great pick.
Related: Team USA Players to Watch at 2024 WJC
Nelson earned a spot on Team USA’s final roster and is expected to push for a significant role in the team’s quest for gold. He was selected to the roster for his use of his body to fight for the puck, winning crucial puck battles to help break out the puck from the defensive zone, and always remaining a defensive constant Notre Dame head coach Jeff Jackson can rely on. Additionally, he uses his vision to safely transition through the neutral zone to establish offensive production. This selection came as no shock to Islanders’ fans, as he was drafted as a forward/defenseman.
Before being drafted, Nelson spent a full year as a defenseman during his DY-1 season at Maple Grove High School, putting up 16 goals and 40 points in 31 games before playing his draft year primarily with the US National U18 Team, where he split the season playing forward and defenseman, scoring 21 goals and 47 assists in 62 games. Not only does he produce well, but Nelson does everything right in the defensive aspect of his game.
Just weeks into his freshman season, he earned himself top-line minutes, an uncommon accomplishment for an 18-year-old freshman. However, Islanders fans saw this coming. After being drafted, coach Jackson spoke to Sports+ of the New York Post about Nelson, stating “he might have a better career up front just because he’s big, rangy, got a good shot, he does some good things offensively… we’d take him either way” (from ‘Islanders second-roundr Danny Nelson has college to figure out his best position,’ New York Post, June 30, 2023). As the team prepares for its opening matchup on Tuesday (Dec. 26) against Norway at 11 a.m. ET, expect Nelson to lead the penalty kill unit and be relied on as a defensive and checking forward his teammates can confidently lean on.
Quinn Finley
Quinn Finley is a 6-foot-0, 179-pound left wing who currently plays for the University of Wisconsin in the NCAA. Finley, who was drafted 78th overall by the Islanders in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, is similar to Nelson in the sense that they are both August birthdays, meaning they are on the much younger side of their respective draft classes. Finley has not put up the point production many fans were hoping for to start the season, having just seven points in 18 games to begin his college career. However, five of those seven points are goals, an impressive number for a freshman. Additionally, he is competing against many other NHL prospects, such as sophomores Cruz Lucius and Charlie Stramel and freshman William Whitelaw. As the season progresses, expect Finley to step into a bigger role for the seventh-ranked Badgers in their quest for a national title.
As for the World Juniors, Finley’s path to ice time will be tough, as the United States roster has a surplus of shooting talent. His opening goal against Team Canada in the team’s pre-tournament game on Dec. 23 will be certain to boost his odds of earning a spot in the lineup. Top prospects such as Cutter Gauthier, a former fifth-overall pick of the Philadelphia Flyers, who has 13 goals in 17 games for the Boston College Eagles this season, and Gavin Brindley, the Columbus Blue Jackets 34th overall pick this past summer, who has 10 goals in 18 games for the Michigan Wolverines this season, are just two of the exciting scorers the United States has to offer in the tournament.
One thing boding well for Finley is the team’s lack of left shots, with the left side of the forward core looking to be the weakest part of the forward group. If he can continue to impress in practice, a spot in the lineup amongst this star-studded United States roster is not out of the question.
Despite the Islanders’ most recent first-round pick being Simon Holmstrom back in 2019, they currently possess an underrated prospect pool. Despite not having any recent high draft picks in the system, the Islanders’ fan base still has quite a few prospects whom they can be excited for. Be sure to keep an eye out for the Islanders youngsters during the WJC starting this Tuesday.
