New York Islanders Top Five Prospects In the System

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DALLAS, TX – JUNE 22: Oliver Wahlstrom poses after being selected eleventh overall by the New York Islanders during the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center on June 22, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Oliver Wahlstrom

He didn’t have a great season with Boston College this year with 19 points in 36 games played. After being picked eleventh overall in 2018 some were ready to wave red flags.

But when BC’s season ended, Wahlstrom signed his ELC effective the 2019-20 season and then an AHL try-out for the rest the AHL season to play with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. He played ten games with the Sound Tigers in the regular season and playoffs, scoring seven points.

It’s a small sample size of course, but it’s restored faith that the first-round pick from a year ago. It seems that what happened out in Boston was just a blip and not a red flag.

Unless Wahlstrom has an absolutely monster training camp, you’d have to expect that he will play in the AHL again next season. It’s something we should all get used to with Lou Lamoriello at the helm of the Islanders.

Lou famously prefers to keep prospects in the minors longer than most. And that’s fine, Wahlstrom will be a short call away from the NHL if the Islanders need him. And they just might.

At the moment, the Islanders have a shortage of attackers for the right side. Jordan Eberle sits at the top of the RW depth chart, followed by Cal Clutterbuck. That’s a huge drop off between the two.

The Islanders could use someone like Wahlstrom to fill out that right side. They just might have to wait a year or two for him to make the jump to the NHL.