Jay Pandolfo says Islanders top prospect Cole Eiserman's work ethic is off the charts

As the New York Islanders struggle to find consistent scoring without Mathew Barzal and Anthony Duclair in the lineup and return home after a frustrating 1-2-2 road trip, there is hope on the the hopefully not too distant horizon in the form of 2024 1st round pick, Cole Eiserman.

Through 12 games this season, Eiserman leads Boston University in goals (9) and tied for the team lead in points (13) with Shane Lachance, son of former 1991 Islanders 1st round pick (4th overall) Scott Lachance. "He's been really good for us," said BU head coach Jay Pandolfo. "Clearly has a gift to score goals and he loves scoring goals."

"I think what we've been impressed with as a staff is how hard he competes on every shift.," Pandolfo told The Sick Podcast with Pierre McGuire & Jimmy Murphy. "He's really hard on the puck, good on the forecheck, I'm been really impressed with him and he really cares."

Despite putting up the best goal-scoring numbers in the history of the US National Development team, Eiserman slid down draft boards due to a concern that he was a one-dimensional player with a questionable desire to become much more than a goal scorer. Although he worked to shake that stigma leading up to the draft, teams passed on him, leaving the Islanders, desperate for elite scoring prospects, as the beneficiaries.

While Eiserman's scoring prowess has carried over to the NCAA is encouraging, even more so is the character trait and work ethic he's consistently shown to the BU coaching staff. "He takes it to heart when we don't do well as a team," added Pandolfo. "He puts a lot of responsibility on his own shoulders, probably too much at some points. He's been better than what we thought."

"His shot is incredible," added Pandolfo. "He's the type of guy that he'll go back at all the shots he took, and if he doesn't score on them, he'll work on that particular shot. His work ethic is off the charts. Not a lot of guys do that, he'll see an area where he thinks he should have put it in the net and if he doesn't, he'll go work on that particular thing."

Eiserman is addicted to scoring goals and addicted at getting better, a hopefully lethal combination that will carry over to the NHL at some point over the next few seasons.