Islanders Oliver Wahlstrom scores first career NHL goal

It took a while for Oliver Wahlstrom to be included in the New York Islanders roster. But in the seventh game of the 2021 season, the eleventh overall pick in 2018 was going to make his debut on the year.

The Islanders have needed an offensive spark for years, and through those years, Isles fans have wondered why Wahlstrom, whose key skill is goal-scoring hasn’t been given much of an opportunity.

With that need for offense and a shakeup to the roster, Barry Trotz brought in the goal scorer. And it immediately paid off. He scored his first career NHL goal 9:50 into the game.

First career goal for New York Islanders rookie Oliver Wahlstrom

Just get the puck towards the net and good things happen. And that’s what happened with Wahlstrom on his first career NHL goal. With his shot going well wide of the net it bounced off Trevor van Riemsdyk and flubbed into Vanecek’s net.

No one cares how but how many, right? This one wasn’t pretty but I don’t think that Oliver Wahlstrom is going to care at all. Nor will any New York Islanders fan for that matter. He scored which will relieve him of a big burden.

Wahlstrom’s 19-20 season was a tough one. The first-round pick only put up 22 points in 45 games at the AHL level. It’s not what you expect from an eleventh overall pick just a few years ago. But he put in the work away from the puck like Barry Trotz told him and earned that spot with the Islanders this year. And now, with his first game of the year, he’s hit the score sheet.

Nowscorign that goal won’t mean he’ll stick in the lineup the rest of the year. Bellows put up an assist in his first and scored twice in his second game of NHL experience last year and only last nine games. So Whalstrom can’t rest on this. Ideally, this fuels him with confidence to keep pushing as his NHL career takes off.