New York Islanders: Top 25 Under 25 2019-2020 Edition

By Matt O'Leary

Aug 16, 2019

TORONTO, ON - DECEMBER 29: Mathew Barzal #13 of the New York Islanders waits for a faceoff against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on December 29, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Islanders defeated the Maple Leafs 4-0.(Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

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Number 16: Linus Soderstrom (Goalie) | Age: 22

HV71: 2.79GAA 0.894SV%
The young goalie who is also very open about his Asperger’s and ADHD is one heck of a prospect.

The big 6’4 Swede didn’t have a great 2017-18 with his Swedish club HV71, but the year prior was out of this world for Soderstrom. And HV71.

Not only did he backstop HV71 to the SHL’s Le Mats Trophy, but he also recorded an outstanding 1.34GAA and 0.943SV% in the process. That goals-against average is now a single season SHL record. Soderstrom’s 1.34GAA beat out Henrik Lundqvist’s previous record of a 1.45GAA from the 2002-03 season.

I’m going this far back to show you his pedigree because we haven’t seen him play in a while. Soderstrom has been dealing with lower-body injuries. He missed the entirety of the 2018-19 season recovering. Soderstrom is ready to make up for that time he lost last season.

I know we’re sold on Ilya Sorokin as the future of the franchise in net. But the Russian goalie isn’t here right now and we don’t know if he ever will. Soderstrom is here right now and ready.

He’s got some qualities to him that he’s shown overseas. Let’s see if he can do it here in North America.