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Welcome to the September edition of the DobberProspects 32-in-32 Series. This month, we explore each organization in depth, examining its recent graduates, risers, fallers, and top-20 prospects. 

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By: William Langstaff

The New York Islanders did not have the busiest off-season, but it could be rather effective. At the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, the Isles used all three of their picks in the first and second rounds to select three strong prospects. Cole Eiserman, selected 20th overall, provided much needed strength and excitement to the prospect pool. The further additions of Kamil Bednarik and Jesse Pulkkinen help to add depth as well.

More excitement swirls around the additions of two wingers to the NHL club’s top-six forward group. First, the already proven and highly-skilled, Anthony Duclair, will add a scoring touch to the Islanders winger group that is desperately needed. His experience playing under head coach Patrick Roy should help him settle in quickly with his systems. He is not the most exciting signing of the off-season, but he should prove to be very effective for the Islanders. The other signing of intrigue is Russian winger, Maxim Tsyplakov. Tsyplakov, 25, showed great promise in the KHL last season. He possesses a great shot and a strong frame, which he uses to his advantage by creating a strong net front presence. This past week he took to the ice for the first time with Islanders gear alongside the signed prospects for rookie camp. Although understated, the Islanders off-season has allowed them to put together a skilled line-up which should compete for a playoff spot and could potentially surprise with their performance.

With rookie camp now finished and the 2024-25 season officially on the horizon, we take a look at the top prospects for the Islanders focusing on their growth and potential.

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Graduating Players

To the NHL

Samuel Bolduc, LD: Bolduc spent parts of the last two seasons with the New York Islanders, but also spent some, albeit not much, time with Bridgeport in the AHL. He will look to fully graduate to the NHL this season and hopes to play a more full time role on the island. A strong two-way defenseman, Bolduc will look to continue his defensive form while re-discovering his offensive game that he displayed in juniors and earlier in his AHL career.

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From College

Alex Jefferies, LW: Jefferies will enter his first full professional season with Bridgeport in 2024-25. After departing college last season, he displayed a lot of offensive upside for a young player experiencing his first taste of professional hockey. With seven points in only 12 games in the AHL in 2023-24, Jefferies will look to build upon his strong start this season. He will take some time to adjust to the professional game, but he could translate to an impactful player with time.

Marshall Warren, LD: Warren, drafted in the sixth round, 166th overall, in 2019 will take on his first full professional season in 2024-25. He is a very strong skater with a good ability to move the puck, particularly in transition. He also has some leadership experience, having been the assistant captain for Michigan in 2023-24 and the team captain for Boston College the year before that. He is not very offensive, but he is a solid defensive prospect.

Cam Thiesing, C: Thiesing enters his first professional season in 2024-25 after a little bit of an underwhelming season with Ohio State last season. He put together only 16 points in 31 total games as the assistant captain. Thiesing is hopeful he can make the Bridgeport Islanders roster, but there is a good chance he spends sometime in the ECHL this season.

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From Juniors

Isaiah George, LD: Isaiah George finishes a strong junior career and begins his professional play in 2024-25. His two-way play is highlighted by his strong skating ability, which should help him adjust to the AHL. Though his junior career ended in a heartbreaking loss in the memorial cup final, George hopes to carry the momentum from last season into this upcoming one. He will have the opportunity to learn from veterans with NHL experience and alongside other young Islanders prospects.

Justin Gill, C: Selected in the fifth round of the 2023 NHL draft as an overage prospect, Gill did not have many expectations. However, after a good year last season in the QMJHL with Baie-Comeau Drakkar, he has earned an opportunity to showcase his abilities in the AHL. The 21-year-old has a lot to prove before he can earn a spot with the big club, but his development over the last year has impressed and put him on the right path. Gill joins a young team in Bridgeport with a few veterans to help guide them in their transition to the professional leagues.

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Coming to North America

Jesse Nurmi, LW: Nurmi spent much of last season healing from a severe injury. However, he is now healthy and ready to show the Islanders organization his ability. He has already shown his skill at the World Junior Summer Showcase this summer and he will look to further prove that he is worthy of an eventual opportunity with the Islanders while playing with the London Knights this season.

Matias Rajaniemi, LD: Rajaniemi is a defensive defenseman who spent the last two seasons in the Liiga, the top Finnish league. He is expected to join the Bridgeport Islanders this season to fine tune his game. The 22-year-old hopes to find his footing in North America and maybe fit in to the New York Islanders defense in the next few seasons as a reliable bottom pair or extra defenseman option.

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Risers

Justin Gill, C: After being drafted in the fifth round in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, Gill responded with a great season in the QMJHL and capped it off with a strong showing in the playoffs. In 63 games, the center posted 40 goals, 58 assists, and 98 total points and followed that performance with 25 points in 17 playoff games. His strong outing was a great sign that his production in 2022-23, which helped him get drafted, was not a fluke. Now graduating from juniors to the AHL with the Bridgeport Islanders, Gill hopes to prove that his scoring touch and defensive responsibility can translate to the pros against stronger competition. At 21, he still has a lot to prove, but he could be trending toward an NHL position sooner than previously anticipated, if it was even anticipated at all. Islanders fans on Long Island and in Bridgeport alike, should be excited to see what Gill can bring to the table this season.

Jesse Nurmi, LW: Nurmi was a late round pick in the 2023 NHL draft, going 113th overall. After a fast start to the season he quickly earned a spot in the top Finnish league, Liiga, in his first season after getting drafted. Unfortunately, he suffered a serious injury very early which resulted in him missing almost the entire year. This season, he has returned from injury and is ready to show the London Knights and the New York Islanders that he hasn’t missed a step. He participated in the World Junior Summer Showcase this summer, where he posted six points in only four games. The 19-year-old joins the OHL ready to show he was a steal with such a late selection in 2023.

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Fallers

Tyce Thompson, RW: To start his professional career, Thompson flashed some promise in the AHL, particularly during his time with the Utica Comets. However, since being acquired from the Devils last season, Thompson struggled to find his stride and put up a disappointing 14 points in 51 total AHL games last season on a struggling Bridgeport Team. Now 25 years old, Thompson is in desperate need to prove himself this season if he wishes to carve out a role for himself in the NHL.

Ruslan Iskhakov, C: Iskhakov is a highly skilled center with good speed, but his 5-8 frame provides a significant barrier to entry for him at the NHL level. Rarely are centers in the highest league under 5-10, especially given the elevated skill of everyone on the ice. This off-season, Iskhakov elected not to sign his qualifying offer with the Islanders and has returned to the KHL where he is currently playing for CSKA Moskow. So far, he has impressed, with three points in four games to start the season on a very strong CSKA Moskow team.

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Prospect Depth Chart

(Combination of NHL readiness and upside)

Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
Cole Eiserman	Kamil Bednarik	William Dufour
Alex Jefferies	Justin Gill	Liam Foudy
Jesse Nurmi	Danny Nelson	Matthew Maggio
Daylan Kuefler	Cameron Berg	Tyce Thompson
Eetu Liukas	Ruslan Iskhakov
Quinn Finley	Cam Thiesing
Riley Piercey

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Left Defense	Right Defense
Samuel Bolduc	Aidan Fulp
Isaiah George
Jesse Pulkkinen
Marshall Warren
Calle Odelius
Xavier Veilleux
Travis Mitchell
Matias Rajaniemi

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Goalies

Henrik Tikkanen

Dmitri Gamzin

Marcus Gidlof

Jakub Skarek

Tristan Lennox

 

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Top 20 Fantasy Prospects

This section is intended to paint a picture of the Islanders prospects whose current trajectory projects them making the most positive fantasy impact at the time that they reach the NHL. Arrival date and NHL certainty have been taken into consideration; however, potential upside is the most important factor in determining this list.

1. Cole Eiserman
2. Samuel Bolduc
3. William Dufour
4. Jesse Pulkkinen
5. Isaiah George
6. Kamil Bednarik
7. Henrik Tikkanen
8. Jesse Nurmi
9. Justin Gill
10. Dmitri Gamzin
11. Cameron Berg
12. Danny Nelson
13. Xavier Veilleux
14. Liam Foudy
15. Marshall Warren
16. Ruslan Iskhakov
17. Quinn Finley
18. Matthew Maggio
19. Calle Odelius
20. Jakub Skarek

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Additional Prospect News and Happenings

Overall, the prospect pool for the NYI is missing any top tier talent, but is full of many potential depth players. It is highlighted by left wing Cole Eiserman, who has potential to be a star, but he is not quite the crown jewel that other prospect pools possess. It is unlikely that the Islanders will add any of that top tier talent any time soon, given their quest to return to the playoffs year after year. As a result, they must rely on hidden gems found late in the first round and the later rounds. The team’s biggest need is at right defense where they have no young prospects in the system.

The Islanders prospects do not participate in the end of summer tournaments. However, the rookie camp has given us an opportunity to see the prospects and some other new faces in Isles gear. New comer Maxim Tsyplakov wore jersey number seven while skating with the prospects and was seemingly very excited to join his new club. Additionally, goaltender Keith Kinkaid joined the prospects during the rookie camp on a professional tryout.

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Thank you for following along, feel free to follow me on twitter @whlangstaff