Islanders prospects daily: Reece Newkirk ready for next level

Welcome to your daily recap for New York Islanders prospects! You’ll find an update on stats from prospects in action yesterday, a round-up of who’s playing today, and I’ll tell you how some of those prospects in action yesterday are doing in my prospects rankings.

Prospects update from yesterday

• Ruslan Iskhakov (TPS)
  • Stats: 1A, 3SOG, 15:49TOI
  • Season stats: 52GP, 10G, 28A, 38Pts
• Henrik Tikkanen (IPK)*
  • Stats: N/A
  • Season stats (Mestis): 6-1-5 record, 3.25GAA, 0.877SV%

  With a win, TPS secured a place in Europe’s Championship Hockey League. Ruslan Iskhakov had a secondary assist in the game to put him at 38 points on the year with two more games left. He’s currently ranked 20th for production this season. He’s still three points back of the top ten.

  I know I focus a lot on him finishing in the top ten for scoring. And truly it doesn’t actually matter, but to me, it’s a nice milestone to hit for a guy who took a chance at going pro early and who didn’t start the year off particularly well.

  Tikkanen didn’t play yesterday as IPK begin their playoff run in the Mestis. They play tomorrow so perhaps he gets game time then.

  New York Islanders prospects in action today

  • Ruslan Iskhakov (TPS)
  • Reece Newkirk (Winterhawks)

  TPS has two games left on the year, this one against Assat and then a final date against top-side Lukko. Iskhakov’s side is already set for the post-season. Based on current standings, TPS would have a first-round matchup against Matias Rajaniemi’s Pelicans side.

  Head coach Raimo Helminen will want his side to continue their strong play as they head to the post-season. His side only has three regulation losses over their last ten games. Iskhakov has six points over that stretch.

  Reece Newkirk co-leads his team with eleven points in his first nine games on the season. Newkirk, a fifth-round pick by the Isles in 2019, has steadily outgrown the WHL. He scored 1.18 points per game last season and is at 1.22 points per game this year.

  From the conversations I’ve had with him I know, he’s ready for the next level. He’s putting his money where his mouth is (so to speak) with his play on the ice.