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Islanders: Three players that could make NHL in 2020-21

By Michel Anderson |
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 17: Kieffer Bellows #20 of the New York Islanders in action during the NHL game against the Arizona Coyotes at Gila River Arena on February 17, 2020 in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the Islanders 2-1. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 17: Kieffer Bellows #20 of the New York Islanders in action during the NHL game against the Arizona Coyotes at Gila River Arena on February 17, 2020 in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the Islanders 2-1. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
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MOSCOW, RUSSIA – JANUARY 08: Ilya Sorokin #90 of the CSKA looks on against the Dynamo Moscow at the Arena VTB Moscow on January 8, 2020 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Anna Sergeeva/ Getty Images)
MOSCOW, RUSSIA – JANUARY 08: Ilya Sorokin #90 of the CSKA looks on against the Dynamo Moscow at the Arena VTB Moscow on January 8, 2020 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Anna Sergeeva/ Getty Images) /

The New York Islanders have a number of talented youngsters in the system, which one of them can make the jump to the NHL next season?

According to Lou Lamoriello himself, the New York Islanders have every indication that Ilya Sorokin will be with the team in 2020-21. After years of waiting, and even a recent trade scare, the Russian goalie will be with the Islanders next season.

That, unfortunately, brings Thomas Greiss‘s run with the Islanders to an end. With Sorokin coming in and Semyon Varlamov under contract for three more seasons, it looks like the German (who’s contract is up this year) will have to find a spot elsewhere.

With a 101-60-17 record and a 2.70GAA and 0.915SV% average in five seasons with the Islanders, I don’t think Greiss will have a hard time finding a new landing spot.

With Sorokin, the Islanders will have converted a third-round pick into an NHLer. Projecting to 2020-21, who else can we see step up from the Islanders system and into the NHL?

Here are three other players currently in the Islanders system (playing in the AHL with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers) that could make the jump up to the NHL in 2020-21 and why they could make that jump in a years time.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 06: Kieffer Bellows #20 of the New York Islanders celebrates his second goal of the game against the Los Angeles Kings at 12:10 of the third period at the Barclays Center on February 06, 2020 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 06: Kieffer Bellows #20 of the New York Islanders celebrates his second goal of the game against the Los Angeles Kings at 12:10 of the third period at the Barclays Center on February 06, 2020 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Kieffer Bellows

Season stats: 52GP, 22G, 9A, 31Pts

He’s already had a short-lived but relatively successful stint with the New York Islanders in 2019-20. The Islanders, desperate for goal scoring, called Kieffer Bellows up at the beginning of February.

In his first game, he lined up with Derick Brassard and Michael Dal Colle on the Islanders third line. It seemed that with Bellows a previously ineffective third line had been reinvigorated overnight. He’d get an assist on a Derick Brassard goal that night as the trio were constantly engaged and creating chances.

Bellows followed that up the next night out with his first and second career NHL goals. The kid who was brought in to score some goals and give the Islanders some much-needed depth scoring was doing just that.

But then over the next six games, Bellows didn’t record a point. His ice-time fell because of it and he’d eventually find himself back in Bridgeport a few weeks later.

It didn’t take long for the Isles former 19th overall pick in 2016 to regain that scoring touch in the AHL. In his first game back he picked up two goals. Over the next six games, before the AHL season was suspended, Bellows had scored four more goals.

Why he’ll make the cut in 2020-21?

Even if the Islanders bring in more top-tier help in 2020-21 they’ll still need scoring depth on that third line. The Isles bottom six has been a black hole almost the entire season. That can’t be the case in 2020-21. Putting a seemingly NHL ready player in Kieffer Bellows on L3 makes sense.

UNIONDALE, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 14: Oliver Wahlstrom #26 of the New York Islanders skates in his first NHL game against the St. Louis Blues at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum on October 14, 2019 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
UNIONDALE, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 14: Oliver Wahlstrom #26 of the New York Islanders skates in his first NHL game against the St. Louis Blues at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum on October 14, 2019 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Oliver Wahlstrom

Season stats: 45GP, 10G, 12A, 22Pts

This was going to be Oliver Wahlstrom‘s first full season of professional hockey. He started the season on fire in the AHL, recording a point in each of his first three games with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

Not before long, Wahlstrom was called up to the NHL by the Islanders with Jordan Eberle being sidelined with an injury. In nine games with the Isles through the month of October and the start of November, Wahlstrom didn’t register a point.

Sadly, he wasn’t able to make his NHL call up last longer than nine games. But Wahlstrom still left us with a feeling that he’d be back and that he’d be the player we all thought we were getting when Lou drafted him eleventh overall in 2018.

Back in the AHL, Wahlstrom kept developing his game. While the points weren’t coming as they were for Kieffer Bellows, Wahlstrom had other things to work on according to Barry Trotz.

“He’s a young player who’s got loads of skill and he’s gotten this far on loads of skill. Now he’s got to learn the game,” said Trotz. “At every level he’s been a talent, he’s been the biggest, strongest sort of the most talented guy. Well, no one has really taught him the game for the most part.”

By the end of the season, Wahlstrom was scoring more consistently for the Sound Tigers. Over his final ten games of the 2019-20 regular season, Wahlstrom put up seven points including a four-game point streak to end the season.

Why he’ll make the cut in 2020-21?

Just like Bellows, Wahlstrom could give the Islanders the depth scoring they need. He can start out on the third line as he ‘learns the game’ and as he transitions to a top-six player.

If I had to pick between Bellows and Wahlstrom my belief is that Wahlstrom stays in the AHL for one more year and Bellows makes the transition up. But that could very well change depending on how each performs at training camp when the 2020-21 season starts up.

GLENDALE, AZ – JANUARY 22: Sebastian Aho #28 of the New York Islanders skates with the puck during the NHL game against the Arizona Coyotes at Gila River Arena on January 22, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the Islanders 3-2 in overtime. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ – JANUARY 22: Sebastian Aho #28 of the New York Islanders skates with the puck during the NHL game against the Arizona Coyotes at Gila River Arena on January 22, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the Islanders 3-2 in overtime. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Sebastian Aho

This was his third year of AHL hockey for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. And he’s been steadily improving his game as he gains more and more responsibility in the AHL.

With his 30 points on the season, he ranks second amongst all Bridgeport Sound Tigers players this season. Only Kieffer Bellows has more points than Aho.

This is the second straight season where Aho has finished near the top of the Sound Tigers scoring charts. In 2018-19, he finished tied for second with Otto Koivula after a 46 point season.

He’s outgrowing the AHL, and if not for the log-jam of quality blueliners with the Islanders at the moment, he’d probably already be in the NHL.

Why he’ll make the cut in 2020-21?

We all saw first-hand how Sebastian Aho can be a useful pro when he skated in 22 games for the Islanders in 2017-18.

On almost half, the teams in the NHL Aho is an easy seventh if not a sixth defenseman. He can skate well, he’s got a good transition game, and he makes responsible decisions with the puck.

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