Islanders prospects report: Focus on last five draft classes

In this week’s prospect report I’ve gone a bit deeper than usual and focused on every player drafted by the New York Islanders since 2016 that isn’t playing in the NHL.

For this week’s prospect review I thought I could look at what’s in the New York Islanders system by draft year. I didn’t come up with this is idea independently, I can thank this Twitter user for the suggestion that lead to this week’s focus.

So here’s a look at the last five years of the Islanders draft and the players they selected. Where are they now, what are they doing, and how do they factor in the Islanders system?

I’m only looking at prospects so guys who are in the NHL aren’t going to factor here. (That includes players on the taxi squad.) Mainly, because you and the casual fan likely know about them already. This is about the players you might not know much about. (I’ve also included the player’s age next to their current team.)

Prospect report from the New York Islanders last five drafts

2016

Anatoly Golyshev (Avtomobilist | 26yo)
Season stats: 47GP, 12G, 15A, 27pts
Fourth-round pick (95 OVR)

I know at 26 (his birthday was two days ago) it doesn’t seem like he’ll be coming over. But just last year he said he was. With COVID I’m not sure how that changes things. I know he’s currently contemplating his future with the Islanders but hasn’t come to decision yet. With his KHL side ready for the playoffs I don’t imagine he’ll be ready to talk about that soon.

Otto Koivula (AHL | 22yo)
Season stats: 1GP
Fourth-round pick (120 OVR)

In his first game back in the AHL he was playing on the top line. He’s on the cusp of making the Islanders squad, if not for the fourth-line being as strong as it is he’d certainly be playing with the Isles right now.

Collin Adams (UND | 22yo)
Season stats: 20GP, 7G, 12A, 19pts
Sixth-round pick (170 OVR)

It’s his fourth year of collegiate hockey and is on pace to have yet another solid year for the top ranks college side in the nation. With little center depth, the Islanders will certainly sign him once his season is over. If not he’s headed towards free agency.

Nick Pastujov (AHL | 23yo)
Season stats: N/A
Seventh-round pick (193 OVR)

He hasn’t yet played for the Sound Tigers this season. Which says a lot. He’d certainly be in the ECHL if the Railers were playing.

2018

Bode Wilde (AHL | 21yo)
Season stats: 2GP
Second-round pick (41 OVR)

We haven’t seen enough of him yet this year, but there’s a lot to like in Wilde’s game. He big, fast, creative, and skates very well. A “full” year under Brent Thompson should help him.

Ruslan Iskhakov (TPS | 20yo)
Season stats: 30GP, 4G, 16A, 20pts
Second-round pick (43 OVR)

TPS is currently playing as I type this, so perhaps his stats change by the time you read this.

After a slow start, Iskhakov has turned it on with TPS, recording 13 points over his last 14 games. He’s a wildly creative (but undersized) forward. I expect he’ll be signed to an ELC next year. I also expect him to play on the winger rather than down the middle even though the Isles have little center depth.

Jakub Skarek (AHL | 21yo)
Season stats: 3GP, 4.06GAA, 0.857SV%
Third-round pick (72 OVR)

It hasn’t been a great start to the season for Skarek, but I don’t believe he’s the problem. The Czech goalie has shown quality for the Sound Tigers, the team in front of him can’t seem to play well in the third period

Jacob Pivonka (Notre Dame | 20yo)
Season stats: 22GP, 1G, 3A, 4pts
Fourth-round pick (103 OVR)

He’s great on the faceoff with a 60.8% efficiency on the dot. He ranks 39th for efficiency, that doesn’t sound “great” but he takes a ton of draws for Notre Dame. He doesn’t seem to provide much else. I’m sure the Isles sign him to an AHL deal, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they don’t.

Blade Jenkins (AHL | 20yo)
Season stats: 1GP
Fifth-round pick (134 OVR)

Like most players in the AHL, it’s a bit early to judge him. He’s played a single game so far in this young (and short) season.

Christian Krygier (Michigan State | 20yo)
Season stats: 18GP, 1G, 2A, 3pts
Seventh-round pick (196 OVR)

He doesn’t put up points, but he’s a good shutdown defenseman. He’s still got a year of college eligibility so I don’t imagine the Islanders will bring him in just yet.

2019

Simon Holmstrom (AHL |19yo)
Season stats: 3GP, 1A
First-round (23 OVR)

Holmstrom is in his second season in North America. When I spoke to Team Sweden coach Tomas Monten, I asked him about the instability in Holmstrom’s first post-draft year that saw him play in the AHL, in Sweden with Vita Hasten, and then with Team Sweden in Edmonton:

Simon is the kind of guy who feels good in being in one spot, getting to work and know a coach, getting into the system and building checmistry.

Having another season under Thompson should help accelerate Holmstrom’s development.

Samuel Bolduc (AHL | 20yo)
Season stats: 3GP, 1G, 1A
Second-round pick (57 OVR)

What a start to his pro career. Bolduc already has two points in his first three games at the AHL level. With his rise, and the addition of Robin Salo next year it would stand to reason that someone like Sebastian Aho could be expendable at the trade deadline to either acquire NHL talent or move one of the Islanders undesirable contracts.

Reece Newkirk (Melville Millionaires/Portland Winterhawks | 19yo)
Season stats: 6GP, 4G, 8A, 12pts
Fifth-round pick (147 OVR)

Newkirk hasn’t played in a while and I know he’s chomping at the bit to return to the ice. But that might not happen till March. The five US teams in the WHL are scheduled to begin their 2021 season on March 19th. So Newkirk still has a month to wait. Rough.

Felix Newkirk (AHL | 21yo)
Season stats: 2GP, 1A
Sixth-round pick (178 OVR)

I’m not sure what to say about Bibeau. He has two games under his belt at the AHL level now and even has a point to his name. But I wouldn’t say he was noticeable in those two games. That will certainly change with more game time. I think an important stat to follow this year in the AHL might just be games played. How many of those 24 games will Bibeau factor in will say how he compares to the rest of the team.

Cole Coskey (AHL | 21yo)
Season stats: 1GP, 1G
Seventh-round pick (209 OVR)

I liked Coskey’s play in his first game. His first pro goal was a well-worked effort to pick up the puck and drive to the slot for a good scoring opportunity. But, just like with Bibeau, we’ll see how much playing time he ends up with.

2020

Alexander Ljungkrantz (Brynas | 18yo)
Season stats:
J20 – 16GP, 8G, 7A, 15pts
SHL – 13GP, 0pts, 1:55ATOI
Hockeyettan – 9GP, 6G, 3A, 9pts

I know that Ljungkrantz had a decent camp with Sweden. I haven’t yet received a final grade on his camp, but I know the Islanders prospect is happy with his camp. Which is always a good sign.

If you haven’t read it yet, here’s my chat with Team Sweden coach Tomas Monten about Ljungkrantz’s chance to make Sweden’s World Junior Championship squad in 2022.

Alex Jefferies (Merrimack College | 19yo)
Season stats: 11GP, 4G, 6A, 10pts
Fourth-round pick (121 OVR)

So far so good for the freshman with ten points in his first eleven games at the college level. Unfortunately, he’s out for an extended period of time due to an injury.

William Dufour (Voltigeurs | 19yo)
Season stats: 18GP, 14G, 10A, 24pts
Fifth-round pick (152 OVR)

Dufour is on pace for a 90 point season (over a full 68-game QMJHL schedule). To put that in perspective, in Beauvillier’s draft year he put up 94 points in 67 games. Beau was a 28th overall pick while Dufour was taken 152 overall.

It’s too early to say he will be a gem. But so far the signs look promising.

Matias Rajaniemi (Pelicans | 18yo)
Sesaon stats: 24GP, 1G, 5A, 6pts, 14:20ATOI
Sixth-round pick (183 OVR)

His ice time has fallen a bit of late, as has that production. After winning a Bronze at the WJC he had four points in five games. But he hasn’t scored since. At 18, he’s still got room to improve his offensive game.

Henrik Tikkanen (IPK | 20yo)
Season stats:
Liiga – 2GP, 2.04GAA, 0.917SV%
Mestis – 11GP, 3.26GAA, 0.878SV%
Seventh-round pick (214 OVR)

With the return of the Mestis league, Tikkanen returned to IPK. His loan stint with Kalpa wasn’t long but it was a good one. It wouldn’t surprise me that the Islanders don’t bring him to North America next year.