New York Islanders’ Top 15 Prospects: 2024-25 Midseason Update

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The New York Islanders finally boast an exciting prospect pool, and it is not just because they made a first-round pick for the first time since 2019 in the most recent NHL Draft. Several of the team’s recent second and third-round selections are making waves in their respective leagues, while a number of late-round picks have also captured the attention of the fanbase.

To be eligible for this list, a prospect must be under the age of 23 and retain Calder Trophy eligibility for the 2025-26 season. The lone exception is Isaiah George, who technically remains Calder-eligible with 25 NHL games played. However, this status would have changed had he not suffered an upper-body injury against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Jan. 2. He is expected to return in the coming weeks and will lose his prospect status in his first game back. If included on this list, he would rank in the top four, potentially as high as second.

Honorable Mentions: Jesse Nurmi, Henrik Tikkanen, Alexander Ljungkrantz, Dennis Good Bogg

15. Justin Gill (C)

Justin Gill was the Islanders’ 145th overall selection in the 2023 Draft and scored 40 goals and 98 points in 65 games for the Baie-Comeau Drakkar of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) last season. In 2024-25, he has split time between the American Hockey League (AHL) and the ECHL during his first professional season, but he has already made a strong impression.

Related: New York Islanders Prospect Pyramid – 2024-25 Preseason

Gill, 21, is up to two goals and 10 points in 12 ECHL games with the Worcester Railers, and he has a goal and six points in 14 games in the AHL with the Bridgeport Islanders. At just 21 years old, Gill stands out with his impressive off-the-puck play, but his inconsistency in driving his line’s offense prevents him from ranking higher on this list, at least for now.

14. William Dufour (RW)

William Dufour will be 23 years old by the end of the month and is quickly fading in the Islanders prospect pool. After scoring 21 goals and 48 points in 69 games in his rookie season with Bridgeport in 2022-23, he regressed to just 15 goals and 25 points in 55 games last season, and now just five goals and 10 points through 29 games this season.

Dufour’s development has been hindered by Bridgeport’s struggles to establish chemistry among the forwards, but his offensive production remains a concern. Time is running out for the Québec native to secure an NHL spot, so it is crucial for him to start contributing more consistently to his scoring to advance his NHL ambitions.

13. Cameron Berg (C)

Cameron Berg is one of the lesser-known prospects in the Islanders’ system, having spent his entire career in the NCAA since getting drafted 125th overall in 2021. However, his production has been impressive. After transferring to the University of North Dakota for the 2023-24 season, he recorded 20 goals and 37 points in 40 games and had added four goals and eight points in just seven games this season before suffering a long-term injury in mid-November. His NHL upside is not too high, but he could someday become a bottom-six contributor if all goes to plan.

12. Zachary Schulz (LD)

Zachary Schulz is one of two University of Wisconsin Badgers drafted by the Islanders in the 2020s. The 19-year-old defenseman was selected 177th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft and has recorded six assists in 14 games this season. However, he is primarily a defensive defenseman, using his 6-foot-1, 190-pound frame to assert himself in the defensive zone and win puck battles.

New York Islanders Top 15 Prospects Cole Eiserman, Danny Nelson and Quinn Finley
Cole Eiserman, Danny Nelson and Quinn Finley (The Hockey Writers)

With the Islanders deep on the left side of the defense, both at the NHL level and within their prospect pool, Schulz faces a challenging path to the NHL. However, he is still very young, giving him ample time to continue developing in college to refine his game.

11. Xavier Veilleux (LD)

Xavier Veilleux was selected with the 179th pick of the 2024 NHL Draft and has five goals and 18 points in 31 games with the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the United States Hockey League. He is very intelligent and possesses high hockey instincts, especially when moving up ice.

Veilleux is committed to Harvard University for the 2025-26 season and is poised to make an immediate impact in the team’s top four. He was on the younger side of 2024 draftees, but his early production is a positive sign he is close to joining the top 10 in the Islanders prospect pool.

10. Matthew Maggio (RW)

Matthew Maggio has had it harder than anyone to begin the 2024-25 AHL season. He has been thrown up and down the lineup each game for Bridgeport and was even recently made a healthy scratch. However, he followed up his night in the press box with a two-goal, four-point performance on Dec. 28 against the Springfield Thunderbirds.

At 22 years old, Maggio is quickly heading out of prospect territory, but his recent performance should have reminded the Islanders front office why he should be one of the first call-ups if an injury were to occur in the top nine.

9. Dmitri Gamzin (G)

The first of two goaltender prospects is Dmitri Gamzin, who the Islanders selected with the 115th pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. The 6-foot-3, 21-year-old netminder has put up strong numbers in the KHL each of the past two seasons. In 2023-24, he went 7-4-1 with a 1.98 goals against average (GAA) and a .937 save percentage (SV%). Through 12 KHL games this season, he has gone 3-3-0 with two shutouts and holds a 2.50 GAA and .921 SV%. Russian goaltenders are historically fickle, but Gamzin’s strong play in a league as strong as the KHL at such a young age is an encouraging sign.

8. Calle Odelius (LD)

Calle Odelius joined Bridgeport for the 2024-25 season, and the results have been mixed. After being selected 65th overall in the 2022 NHL Draft, he missed most of last season due to injury. This season, his offensive performance has been underwhelming, with just six points — all assists — in 31 games. While his defensive play has shown flashes of promise, it remains an area of concern for the 20-year-old.

One reason to remain optimistic about Odelius’ development is the performance of Isaiah George. The former Islanders prospect played four uninspiring games with Bridgeport to start the 2024-25 season, but once called up to the NHL, his game improved significantly. If Odelius can continue developing and earn an NHL look, he too could experience a similar breakout.

7. Kamil Bednarik (C)

Kamil Bednarik was taken with the 61st pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and has had a solid start to his freshman season at Boston University. He has just one goal and nine points in 17 games but has been one of the team’s best two-way, checking centers. As well, he is one of the youngest players in all of college hockey, not turning 19 until after the season.

Related: Islanders’ Eiserman & Bednarik’s Bromance Reminiscent of Barzal & Beauvillier’s

Bendarik excels in the physical aspects of the game. Standing at just 6 feet tall, he is unafraid to throw his body around. He is strong on the half-walls and in open ice — two qualities that bode well for his NHL aspirations. While skilled, he has yet to elevate his offensive game. Another two to three seasons under head coach Jay Pandolfo will benefit him as he works to improve his offensive upside.

6. Marcus Gidlöf (G)

The second goaltender on this list is Marcus Gidlöf, who, like Gamzin, was selected in the 2024 NHL Draft. Gidlöf stands at an impressive 6-foot-6, and he makes full use of his size. The 19-year-old effectively limits the opposition’s angles with his frame, and he displays excellent mobility for someone of his stature.

At the draft, concerns for Gidlof included his ability to translate his game to the next level, but his play so far this season has squandered all doubt. In eight games for Leksands IF of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), he has gone 5-3-0 with a 2.07 GAA and .917 SV%. As well, in the J20 Nationell league, he went 7-0-0 with a 1.43 GAA and a .935 SV%, each greatly improved from last season’s stat line. His promotion to the SHL has gone smoothly, so only time will tell if his play is sustainable.

5. Jesse Pulkkinen (LD)

Jesse Pulkkinen went undrafted in 2023 but was selected by the Islanders in the second round in 2024. He stands at 6-foot-6 and is very talented. He has a strong shot, strength, and confidence, but has struggled to find offensive consistency in his playmaking. Through 20 games for JYP of Liiga, Finland’s premier men’s league, he has three goals and five points.

Pulkkinen, 20, is a unique prospect in the Islanders system because his ceiling is the team’s top defenseman prospect, but he also has a low floor. He struggles to see plays developing, both in the offensive and defensive zones, which has become a major weakness in his play. However, he has taken major strides in his weaknesses this season, so there is reason to believe he will continue his current trajectory and develop into a bottom-four defenseman in the NHL.

4. Alex Jefferies (RW/LW)

Alex Jefferies is already 23 years old but has just 40 games of professional hockey experience. In those games, he has 12 goals and 28 points, incredibly encouraging numbers given Bridgeport’s weak and unstable roster. Jefferies possesses an elite wrist shot and scoring instinct, in addition to a strong two-way game. He can drive play from both sides of the ice, and he uses his impressive vision and instincts to set up high-danger scoring chances.

Jefferies is ready for the NHL, even with his minimal professional experience. Much of his offense this season has come from his own doing, and his defensive abilities are among the best in Bridgeport. If the Islanders sell forwards like Brock Nelson or Kyle Palmieri at the 2025 Trade Deadline, Jefferies should be among the first to get promoted to fill their spots.

3. Quinn Finley (LW)

Arguably the most talented player in the Islanders’ prospect pool — and that is no exaggeration — is Quinn Finley. Through 22 games for the University of Wisconsin, the 20-year-old leads the entire NCAA in both points (29) and goals (16). After posting just 10 goals and 16 points in 36 games last season, he has fully broken out, and it comes as no surprise.

Finley has elite hands and an even better shot. He can score from anywhere on the ice with a wrist, slap, or snapshot, and always knows where to be. He does a great job at finding the open ice, and he has improved his play-driving ability, evident in his 13 assists so far on the season.

Quinn Finley University of Wisconsin
Quinn Finley, University of Wisconsin (Tom Lynn/UW Athletics)

When Finley was selected 78th overall in the 2022 NHL Draft, concerns about his size and strength were real. However, he has since added significant weight and muscle, now weighing 179 pounds. His defensive game has also progressed, as he was trusted with a key role on the USA’s top penalty-killing unit at the 2024 World Junior Championship (WJC), helping the team secure gold.

Finley’s ceiling is incredibly high. If he can translate his success to the professional level, whether next season or the season after, he could blossom into a 30+ goal NHL scorer. However, his 2024-25 breakout has been just 22 games, so he must continue developing his game if he hopes to reach this potential. He is a very raw talent, but still exciting, so fans should not be surprised by his high placement.

2. Danny Nelson (C)

Danny Nelson has become an elite prospect for the Islanders. Through 18 games for the University of Notre Dame this season, the 19-year-old has posted eight goals and 13 points, while leading the team in shots (61) and faceoff winning percentage (57.2%). While these numbers don’t immediately jump off the page, his play has been much stronger than the scoresheet suggests, a belief proven by his dominant performance at the 2025 World Junior Championship (WJC), where he registered four goals and six points in just seven games for his second consecutive gold medal for the United States.

Related: Islanders’ Danny Nelson Talks 2023 Draft, Position Changes & More

What makes Nelson an elite prospect is his well-rounded game, which was on full display at the WJC. He is a tenacious forechecker and a reliable defender, unafraid to use his 6-foot-3, 212-pound frame to win puck battles. He excels in the dirty areas, often coming out on top in puck battles around the net. His background as a defenseman in high school is also evident in his two-way game, and his powerful shot makes him not only a physical threat but also a scoring one.

Nelson is also a strong skater, though he tends to get flat-footed when away from the puck. While this has never been a major concern, improving his play in open ice would take his game to the next level. However, with his collegiate success and breakout performance at the 2025 WJC, he has finally earned the recognition from Islanders fans that he rightfully deserves.

1. Cole Eiserman (LW)

To no surprise, the Islanders’ top prospect is Cole Eiserman. The 18-year-old has been among the best teenagers in college hockey this season with nine goals and 15 points through 16 games for Boston University. He possesses an elite shot and scoring ability, something the Islanders’ prospect pool needed heading into the 2024 NHL Draft. In addition to his play for Boston, Eiserman joined Nelson on the USA’s tournament-winning team for the 2025 WJC, and despite earning minimal ice time from head coach David Carle, he still amassed three goals and seven points in seven games.

The Islanders made their first first-round pick since 2019 (Simon Holmstrom, No. 23) by taking Eiserman with the 20th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, making him a key player to watch for Islanders fans since that memorable day. As a result, many fans became aware of the concerns in his game heading into the 2024-25 season, but fewer are familiar with the strides he has taken in his development.

Related: Islanders Drafting Cole Eiserman Was Best Case Scenario

Eiserman’s two main concerns at the draft were his discipline and play away from the puck, and one of those areas has greatly improved. The 18-year-old has done a great job holding the opposition to the perimeters in the defensive zone, specifically through his reach and pressure. As well, he has become more physical, seen best in his play at the 2025 WJC.


One setback to Eiserman’s physicality and defensive development has been his tendency to take penalties. He has accumulated 21 penalty minutes this season for Boston University, including a game misconduct in his collegiate debut. Many of these penalties have been unnecessary, too. Additionally, his discipline at the WJC was an issue, which contributed to Carle’s decision to demote Eiserman to the role of the 13th forward.

The consensus belief is that Eiserman needs another season of development at Boston University before turning professional, especially with the disaster that has become the Bridgeport Islanders. Over the next season and a half, he will continue developing his game for the NHL. From there, his NHL career should be near as he hopes to live up to his potential as a perennial 30-goal, 65+ point winger.

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