After years of having a bare prospect pool, the New York Islanders finally have exciting youth in their system. This point may have been obvious given the team’s three selections in the first two rounds of the 2024 NHL Draft, but this excitement extends further than just recent draftees.
Cole Eiserman
For the first time since 2019, the Islanders made a first-round selection in 2024, and they took Cole Eiserman. The 18-year-old is up to nine points (six goals and three assists) in nine games for Boston University. He is a left-winger with an elite shot, and he can find the back of the net from anywhere.
The sky truly is the limit for Eiserman. He has all the offensive skills needed to succeed in the NHL, and his impressive start with Boston University at such a young age suggests he’ll continue to improve as he gains experience. With the Islanders in need of a young, offensive goal-scorer in the NHL, Eiserman has joined the organization at the perfect time.
Isaiah George
Isaiah George made history when he debuted with the Islanders this season. He has now played in four NHL games, showcasing his speed, instinct, awareness, and poise on the top defensive pairing alongside Noah Dobson. The offensive production has not yet arrived, but the 20-year-old has come close to finding the back of the net multiple times while showing a willingness to drive toward the net to apply pressure in the offensive zone.
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George is such a unique prospect to assess given the Islanders’ surplus of left-handed defensemen. In the NHL, Alexander Romanov, Adam Pelech, and Mike Reilly had secure positions at the start of the 2024-25 season, but all three have sustained injuries, leading to George’s promotion. In his four games, George has shown no reason to be sent back to Bridgeport, but there may be no choice if Lou Lamoriello opts to stay loyal to his veterans. However, if the Islanders are serious about winning, they should continue to play George until he gives them a reason not to.
Quinn Finley
Even with his early dominance this season, Islanders 2022 third-round pick, Quinn Finley, continues to fly under the radar. The 20-year-old’s goal-scoring ability rivals Eiserman’s and sits atop the best in college hockey. He is in his sophomore season with the University of Wisconsin and is up to seven goals and 10 points through 10 games this season. He currently leads the team in both goals and points and sits second in NCAA goal-scoring leaders among those aged 20 or younger.
FINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER 🍗😋@QuinnFinley2 with an overtime BEAUTY to win it for Wisconsin! pic.twitter.com/PpwKycGbI9
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) October 6, 2024
Finley’s goals come in all shapes and sizes, and he elevates his game as the caliber of his opponent increases. When Wisconsin faced the University of Denver, the No. 1 ranked team in the country in both the latest USCHO.com and USA Hockey/The Rink Live polls, on Oct. 25 and 26, he scored in both games. In Wisconsin’s most recent matchups on Nov. 8 and 9 against the University of Minnesota, the No. 3 ranked team in the nation, he registered two goals and an assist across the two games. No doubt about it, Finley is an elite goal scorer, and at just 20 years old, he will only get better.
Alex Jefferies
The Bridgeport Islanders are bad, but Alex Jefferies is not. The 23-year-old was up to nine points (three goals and six assists) in 11 games before sustaining an injury that kept him out of the lineup on Nov. 12 against the Hersey Bears. He is an impressive goal scorer with a blistering slap shot, and he is one of the best two-way forwards in the American Hockey League. It is hard to find success in such a lackluster situation, but Jefferies has found ways to provide offense on a struggling Bridgeport team.
Others
Islanders 2024 second-round pick, Jesse Pulkkinen, sustained an injury over the offseason, but in four games with JYP in Finland’s Liiga, the 19-year-old has a goal and an assist. The sample size is small, but the smooth-skating defenseman is quickly getting back on the scoresheet.
Eiserman’s teammate at Boston University and fellow 2024 draft pick, Kamil Bednarik, has quickly made an impact in his freshman season as a physical, two-way center. He has been tasked as one of the team’s leading penalty-killers, gotten time on the power play, and is leading the charge in the faceoff dot. He has just four points, all assists, through his first nine collegiate games, but the offense will come as he continues developing his game.
Danny Nelson had a strong freshman season with the University of Notre Dame in 2023-24, scoring 23 points (nine goals and 13 assists) in 30 games. While the 19-year-old center’s offensive production has underwhelmed to begin the 2024-25 season, his two-way game and defensive instincts offer a higher ceiling than most prospects.
