Welcome back.

It’s time to kick off Daily Faceoff’s second annual NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown, looking at the best all 32 teams have to offer. We’re highlighting the top 10 prospects for every franchise, their biggest strengths and weaknesses and so much more.

The criteria for being labeled a “prospect” are simple: skaters generally have to have played in 50 or fewer NHL games or spent more time outside of the NHL than in it last year. For goaltenders, we’re capping it at 40 games because that’s still a significant amount for a position where games played are harder to come by. Skaters over 23 years old are not included, with goaltenders needing to be 25 or under.

Today, we’re looking at the New York Islanders.

Before the 2024 NHL Draft, the New York Islanders’ pipeline was widely regarded as the worst in the NHL.

But I loved their new selections for the first time in years. I think Cole Eiserman is an exciting, fantastic young prospect who deserves more love than he got from the public scouting sphere this year. I also really like Jesse Pulkkinen, and I think Marcus Gidlof and Kamil Bednarik were excellent picks, too.

The Islanders’ pool still isn’t good, per se, but it’s much, much better. Bridgeport had a difficult year with little support options, but there’s still hope for players like William Dufour, Matthew Maggio and Alex Jefferies. It’s not a deep pipeline, but I’d say at least one good thing is that the battle near the bottom of the rankings – Justin Gill, Quinn Finley, Jefferies, Cameron Berg, and Isaiah George – is close. There are a ton of support pieces in this group, which you need.

But, with so many players still quite far away – including Eiserman, who is college-bound – the Isles will need to look elsewhere if they’re going to get more immediate help. For now, the team will remain a fringe playoff squad and nobody in the system will change that any time soon. But at least it’s much stronger than the same time a year ago, right?

Biggest Strengths

While many teams prefer to find depth scoring options via free agency, the Islanders have a few hard-working options in the system already. Danny Nelson is the most prominent – I think he could step into the NHL quite soon given his physical and mental maturity. And then there’s Dufour, Maggio, Gill, and Jefferies, all players with their own various skill sets and weaknesses. Right now, it’s about maximizing their playing time in the minors and finding the right path forward, but they’ve got some bullets in their arsenal to work with.

Biggest Weakness

I’m just worried this is an Eiserman-or-bust situation for the Islanders. There are not many impact prospects who look to be key pieces of the team’s future outside of the aforementioned bottom-six role spots. It’ll be interesting to watch Gidlof, though – with his frame and play this past year, I could see him potentially backing up Ilya Sorokin one day. But beyond that, I’m not really sold on anyone in this pipeline as actual high-impact threats. That shouldn’t be a surprise to any diehard Islanders fans, either.

Fast Facts:
NHL GM: Lou Lamoriello
Dir. of Amateur Scouting: Trent Klatt
Dir. of Player Development: Eric Cairns
AHL Affiliate: Bridgeport Islanders
ECHL Affiliate: Worcester Railers

*Kamil Bednarik (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)*

TOP 10 PROSPECTS

1. Cole Eiserman, LW/RW, 18 (Boston University, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 20th overall, first round in 2024

For what it’s worth, I had Eiserman as my No. 10 prospect in the 2024 NHL Draft – and I almost put him higher. There wasn’t a prospect with a better shot in the draft, and he’s now the all-time leading goal-scorer in USA Hockey National Team Development history. I thought he had an up-and-down U-18 World Championship, but he really showed how much energy and violence he can bring at times. Defensively, Eiserman can be invisible, although I liked that he played the penalty kill during the 2024 World Junior Summer Showcase. I think the upside is still huge but at this point, you’re going to need a more defensively responsible center to take the pressure off him. The right usage will allow Eiserman to be a star, and I genuinely believe in him.

2. Danny Nelson, C, 19 (University of Notre Dame, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 49th overall, second round in 2023

Nelson’s posted nine goals and 23 points in 30 games as a freshman at Notre Dame this year after showcasing himself as one of the USNTDP’s top two-way players the year before. The 6-foot-3 forward powers through players with ease while driving plays. He works so hard with a multitude of tools, playing well in all three zones. Nelson projects to be more of a bottom-six player, but he does an excellent job of making himself difficult to play against – which, of course, makes him valuable in that specific role. I think he has a bright future in the NHL, most likely as a bottom-six player – but I feel more confident in him being a long-term player than most others in the system.

3. Jesse Pulkkinen, LHD, 19 (JYP, Liiga)

Acquired: Drafted 54th overall, second round in 2024

*Jesse Pulkkinen (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)*

Pulkkinen, the top overage player in the draft this past year, played around 18 minutes a night with JYP, which isn’t always easy for a 19-year-old. Against U-20 kids, he played more than 25 minutes most nights, including a whopping 31:29 on March 17. Nothing tops his 38:09 in Mestis play back in November, though. Pulkkinen can handle significant pressure well and has the offensive and physical chops to battle older, stronger competition. When asked at the NHL Draft Combine what helped him really become a top prospect after years of getting overlooked, he said he finally started to take hockey more seriously about a year ago. So, just imagine what he’s going to be capable of in a few years.

4. William Dufour, RW, 22 (Bridgeport, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 152nd overall, fifth round in 2020

Dufour’s offense dropped by nearly half in his second year in Bridgeport, although the team didn’t have a ton of support options to work with. So don’t get too worked up about that, and instead focus on the positives. He’s still difficult to defend against on the rush because he’s got the pure strength to overpower defenders. In space, Dufour can definitely shoot the puck. I still want to see him improve his skating because it’s not good enough to push him higher up in an NHL lineup, but he at least has the energy and muscle mass to make plays happen. I’m not as high on Dufour as others but as a fifth-round pick in 2020, it’s good to see that he has at least developed into a potential middle-six threat.

5. Kamil Bednarik, C, 18 (Boston University, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 61st overall, second round in 2024

Bednarik may not be the flashiest player, but he is consistent. He puts in a strong effort every single night, can play with anyone, and does a lot of small things well. Whether he’s playing with a goal-scorer like Eiserman or someone who’s more energy-focused, Bednarik’s ability to learn and adapt makes him intriguing. His USNTDP teammates say he’s so underrated, too. Although his skating isn’t great, he compensates with hard work at both ends of the ice and actively tries to regain control of the puck. I can see Bednarik being one of the guys who excels in college and adds extra scoring punch – and he’ll be paired up with Eiserman at BU, too.

6. Calle Odelius, LHD, 20 (Djurardens, Allsvenskan)

Acquired: Drafted 65th overall, second round in 2022

*Calle Odelius (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)*

An ankle injury limited Odelius to just 10 regular season games with Djurgardens’ men’s team, although I thought he still managed to play quite well. We’re not talking about a guy with high-end offensive instincts, but he’s mobile, smart and plays at speed. Some scouts feel like he’s going to be one of those defenders that, in the right situation, will be able to build upon his velocity and unlock another offensive level that he hasn’t shown yet. But a lost year of development means he’ll be on the backburner next year, trying to figure out how to get things back on track.

7. Marcus Gidlof, G, 18 (Leksands, SHL)

Acquired: Drafted 146th overall, fifth round in 2024

Gidlöf is so fascinating – and I think NHL Central Scouting put him way too low as the No. 10 European goalie. At 6-foot-6 with solid numbers in the Swedish U-20 league, Gidlöf is aggressive in his crease and takes up so much space. He tracks pucks well, is extremely competitive and has good rebound control. In a year with very few starter-caliber options, Gidlöf could end up being a steal. I just feel it. There are still some raw elements to his game, but I’ve talked to many goalie-focused scouts who think he’s got serious NHL potential. We’ll see what happens.

8. Matthew Maggio, RW, 21 (Bridgeport, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 142nd overall, fifth round in 2022

Maggio surprised people with his development curve, putting up 54 goals and 111 points in his Draft+1 OHL season. He was drafted as an overage player, but that was still a mega season that proved he was worth a late-round flier. His first year in the AHL, though, was a bit tough. He struggled to stay consistent and even missed time with a few minor injuries, but still finished with 15 goals as a rookie. Maggio’s ability to suddenly dominate a shift with flashes of offensive brilliance is promising, but he needs to be able to do it more often than he showed with Bridgeport.

9. Justin Gill, C, 21 (Bridgeport, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 145th overall, fifth round in 2023

Gill was one of just a handful of notable NHL-drafted forwards in the QMJHL last year, scoring 40 goals and 98 points. That was a slight increase from his 93-point output last year, with the biggest improvement being his nine-assist boost to 58. Now set to make his pro debut this fall, all eyes will be on Gill to keep the momentum flying. Taken as an overage, Gill has had to do a ton to prove he’s got what it takes to be a complimentary offensive threat, but he has become a solid two-way center who plays with energy and commits himself defensively. Some people think he can become the next Casey Cizikas if his development rounds out.

10. Quinn Finley, LW, 20 (University of Wisconsin, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 78th overall, third round in 2022

*Quinn Finley (Photo from Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)*

Finley made a bold, but smart decision to stay in the USHL in his Draft+1 year and it allowed him to earn significant more puck touches and build his confidence heading into school. Finley then had 10 goals as a freshman at Wisconsin while also playing a depth role with USA’s gold-medal squad at the 2024 World Junior Championship. Finley projects to be more of a depth forward, but he loves to battle in front of the net, he has a quick release and he makes himself tough to scoop the puck off of, despite not being overly strong. The fact his trajectory continues to point upward is a good sign.

Others: Alex Jefferies, LW (22), Eetu Lukas, LW (21), Daylan Kuefler, LW (22), Camden Thiesing, C (23), Quinn Finley, LW (19), Cameron Berg, C (22), Isaiah George, LHD (20), Marshall Warren, LHD (23), Xavier Veilleux, LHD (18), Dennis Good Bogg, LHD (20), Zach Schulz, LHD (19), Tomas Machu, RHD (21), Aleksi Malinen, LHD (21), Dmitry Gamzin, G (21), Tristan Lennox, G (21), Henrik Tikkanen, G (23)

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