For years, the critique of the New York Islanders’ farm system has been consistent: a lack of high-end volume. If the opening days of the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship in Minneapolis are any indication, that narrative is beginning to shift.
The organization has sent five prospects to this year’s tournament, representing four different nations — the United States, Canada, Sweden, and Czechia. It’s a modest but significant uptick from the four representatives last winter, and perhaps more importantly, the roles these players are carving out suggest a depth of talent that goes beyond just roster filling.
We are seeing a mix of returning pedigree and fresh faces, all converging on the Twin Cities. Here is a look at how the future of the Islanders is faring on the international stage.
The Boston College Connection in Red, White, and Blue
Team USA enters the tournament with the weight of expectation that comes with being the defending gold medalist. The American roster features a distinctly collegiate flavor, specifically a duo from Boston College that Islanders fans should be keeping a close eye on.
Cole Eiserman, the 20th overall pick from 2024, is back for his second tour of duty. Eiserman’s reputation as a pure goal scorer preceded his draft selection, and he hasn’t done anything to dispel that notion since. In the opener — a decisive 6-3 victory over Germany — Eiserman wasted little time finding his range. He buried a goal with a wicked wrist shot from the left circle, a spot on the ice that is quickly becoming his office. For a player whose primary currency is goals, starting the tournament by finding the back of the net settles the nerves and sets a dangerous tone for the rest of the group stage.
The situation is slightly different for his Boston College teammate, Kamil Bednarik. Selected in the second round of the same 2024 Draft, Bednarik is making his World Juniors debut. While he has been productive in the NCAA this season, posting solid numbers through his first 17 games, the depth of the American forward group is unforgiving. Bednarik was a healthy scratch against Germany. It is a reminder of how difficult it is to crack this specific lineup, but for an Islanders prospect, simply making this roster is a testament to his development curve. The tournament is long, and injuries or line shuffles often open doors that appear closed on day one.
The “Dawg” in the Fight
Over on the Swedish side, Victor Eklund is proving that size is secondary to motor. The 16th overall pick from the 2025 Draft is playing in his second World Juniors, and he looks far more comfortable this time around.
Related – Guide to the 2026 World Junior Championship
In Sweden’s tight 3-2 win over Slovakia, Eklund was instrumental, tallying a power-play goal. It wasn’t a perimeter snipe, but a gritty deflection while parked in front of the net. That is the area where games are often won or lost in this tournament.
Scouts and analysts have started attaching the term “dawg” to Eklund’s game. It’s hockey slang for a player who battles relentlessly for loose pucks and initiates physical contact, regardless of the size of the opponent. At 5-foot-11, Eklund isn’t the biggest body on the ice, but his willingness to engage in the dirty areas makes him a coach’s dream. For the Islanders, who have historically prized “heavy” hockey, Eklund’s style feels like a natural fit for the system, even if he brings a bit more skill to the table than the typical grinder.
A Rare Breed on the Canadian Blue Line
One of the more intriguing storylines for New York comes from the Canadian camp. Defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson, the 17th overall pick in 2025, is showcasing a skillset that is becoming increasingly valuable in the modern NHL: the goal-scoring defenseman.
Aitcheson captains the Barrie Colts in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and arrived in Minneapolis with 19 goals on the season — a staggering number for a blueliner and the highest total of any player on the Canadian roster, forwards included. That is not a typo. He is a legitimate offensive weapon from the back end.
In Canada’s chaotic 7-5 win over Czechia, Aitcheson logged just over 14 minutes of ice time. While he didn’t dominate the scoresheet in that specific outing, his ability to transition the puck and join the rush adds a dynamic layer to a Canadian team that is never short on firepower. Finding defensemen who can actually finish plays, rather than just distribute, is a rarity. Aitcheson appears to be the real deal.
The Czech Steal?
The most pleasant surprise of the tournament so far might be Tomas Poletin. A fourth-round selection in 2025, Poletin is the type of mid-round pick organizations dream of hitting on.
Playing for Czechia, Poletin was a force in that same 7-5 loss to Canada. He scored two game-tying goals, single-handedly dragging his team back into the fight against a superior opponent, and earned Player of the Game honors for his effort.
Related – Canada Opens 2026 World Juniors With 7-5 Victory Over Czechia
Poletin has been quietly excellent in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Kelowna Rockets this season, operating at a point-per-game pace. However, performing on the World Junior stage against a powerhouse like Canada is a different animal. He didn’t look out of place; he looked like a driver. When prospects drafted in the middle rounds start dictating play against top-tier competition, you take notice.
The Big Picture
The schedule makers did Islanders fans a favor early on, pitting Aitcheson’s Canada against Poletin’s Czechia in a high-scoring nightcap that showcased the varying strengths of the prospect pool. We saw the offensive upside from the back end and the opportunistic finishing from a developing forward.
With five players in the mix, the odds of an Islander prospect returning with hardware are high. But beyond the medals, the variety of roles these players are filling — from top-line sniper to power-play specialist to offensive defenseman — suggests a versatility in the pipeline that is well worth getting excited about.
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