As the New York Islanders sit in a playoff spot over the Christmas break, it is a great time to look at how their prospects are doing. Despite the team’s most recent first-round pick being in 2019 where they selected Swedish winger Simon Holmstrom, Islanders fans have quite a few prospects who they should be looking forward to seeing in the NHL.
Bridgeport Islanders
In the American Hockey League (AHL), the Bridgeport Islanders currently sit last in the entire league and are 11 points back of the next-lowest team in their division, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. This is a position that no team ever wants to be in, especially for the Islanders who continue their struggles from the past few seasons.
Ruslan Iskhakov
Despite the Bridgeport Islanders sitting last in the AHL with just 18 points in 26 games, there have been a few positives to come out. The Islanders’ 2018 second-round pick Ruslan Iskhakov, who has played in all 26 of the team’s games so far this season, currently sits at eight goals and 20 points, leading the team in both categories. The 23-year-old center is a highly skilled forward who uses his small size to easily maneuver his way around opponents.
Iskhakov, who possesses a stellar left shot, is expected to be one of the first call-ups to the NHL team if an injury occurs in the top nine, as his fast-paced, offensive skill set will help the team maintain its production.
Estimated NHL Arrival: 2024
William Dufour
Another bright spot this season for the Islanders has been second-year power-forward, William Dufour. He has just four goals and eight points in 15 games in the AHL this season, but his game has evolved to be more translatable to the NHL. He made his NHL debut last season, playing just one game where he finished as a minus-2 in just 6:48 time on ice. He was benched by head coach Lane Lambert, who after the game said he “liked some of the things [Dufour] did. He’s a big body. Again he went to the net hard. He’ll continue to learn, and grow from that. That’s what that’s about from that standpoint” (from ‘Islanders’ William Dufour benched in NHL debut after costly mistakes,’ New York Post, January 18, 2023).
As Dufour continues to stress the development of the defensive aspects of the game, the offensive production is beginning to pick up. He tallied two goals in the Islanders’ 5-4 defeat of the Harford Wolfpack Friday night (Dec. 22) and an assist in the team’s overtime loss to the Springfield Thunderbirds Saturday night (Dec. 23). These two important divisional games hope to be the catalysts of a great second half of the season for him and the Islanders.
Estimated NHL Arrival: 2024/2025
Matthew Maggio
Despite winning the Red Tilson Trophy, an award given to the Ontario Hockey League’s (OHL) most outstanding player just last season, Matthew Maggio has not started his professional career in the way he had hoped. After putting up an astonishing 54 goals and 57 assists for 111 points in 66 games as captain of the Windsor Spitfires, he has just four goals and eight points in 23 games in Bridgeport this season.
It is typically expected for players to initially struggle in their transition from juniors to professional hockey, so Maggio’s early struggles should not be a cause for panic for the Islanders’ fanbase. Additionally, he just turned 21 years old (Nov. 25) and has plenty of time to grow accustomed to the professional game.
Estimated NHL Arrival: 2025/2026
Top Prospects Outside of Bridgeport
World Junior Championship
The Islanders are well represented in Sweden for the World Junior Championship. 2022 third-round pick Quinn Finley and 2023 second-round pick Danny Nelson are the two representatives for the Islanders. 2022 second-round pick Calle Odelius was expected to play for Sweden if not for an injury he sustained in late November.
Related: Islanders Fans Have 2 Prospects to Follow at 2024 WJC
The two Islanders’ prospects kick off the 2024 World Junior Championship against Norway at 11 a.m. ET this Tuesday (Dec. 26), followed by Switzerland (Dec. 28) and Czechia (Dec. 29) back-to-back, with Slovakia rounding out the group stage on Sunday (Dec. 31).
Alex Jefferies
Alex Jefferies was a 2020 fourth-round selection for the New York Islanders. The right-handed left wing has been tearing the scoresheet up for Merrimack College of the NCAA. He currently sits at 14 points in 11 games this season for the Warriors, having 36 goals and 52 assists for 88 points in 94 college games, an impressive total for the 22-year-old. As he finishes his senior season at Merrimack, look out for him to sign an amateur tryout with Bridgeport before signing an entry-level contract with the Islanders following the season.
Estimated NHL Arrival: 2025/2026
Isaiah George
Isaiah George is a 6-foot, 198-pound left-shot defenseman for the London Knights of the OHL. He shows strong parallels to the Islanders’ current top-pairing left-shot defenseman and All-Star, Adam Pelech. Both are defensive defensemen who have elite hand-eye coordination by using their sticks to prevent opponents from possessing the puck in the slot. He leads the Knight’s defense by preventing opponents from getting high-danger shots from the center of the ice by using his best-in-the-league defensive stick. Even though he is just 6-foot-0, he gets the most out of his size, creating a strong defensive presence that opponents are unable to penetrate.
Despite the 19-year-old having just four goals and 11 points in 32 games for the Knights this season, George has led the team to second place in the Mid-West Division and fourth place in the Western Conference of the OHL with 20 wins and 41 points through 32 games. As the league heads into the New Year, look for him to use his experience to help the Knights climb the standings and prepare for a deep playoff run.
Estimated NHL Arrival: 2026/2027
Justin Gill
Another draft, another late-round pick from general manager Lou Lamoriello who looks to be a steal. The Islanders’ fifth-round selection in the 2023 NHL Draft, Justin Gill currently sits tied for second in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with 50 points in 31 games. Gill, a 20-year-old center for the Baie-Comeau Drakkar who turns 21 years old next month, is hoping to maintain his performance as the Drakkar are currently dominating the QMJHL, sitting first place in the entire league, with six more wins and 12 more points than the next closest teams.
Estimated NHL Arrival: 2026/2027
With games starting back up this Wednesday (Dec. 27), be sure to keep up with some of the Islanders’ top prospects. Whether you catch them in Bridgeport on Wednesday hosting the Providence Bruins or check out the World Junior Championship, keep an eye out for some future Islanders!
