NY Islanders land physical defenseman in latest mock draft

With the 2026 NHL Draft less than a week away, insiders and analyst are putting out their final mock drafts. It is our final look at how the draft might go before the big event. Recently, Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff released his mock draft, with the Islanders taking Swedish defenseman Malte Gustafsson. He is one of the most hype defensive prospects in this draft class. But what makes Gustafsson such an intriguing prospect, and would he be a good choice for the Islanders?

Who is Malte Gustafsson and should he be the pick for the Islanders

Last year, Gustafsson reached the top of the Swedish hockey world. After years of playing for their junior teams, HV71 added him to their SHL roster. He spent 27 games playing against the best competition Sweden had to offer, tallying three assists during that stretch. He also represented Sweden on the international stage. In 16 games for Team Sweden, he registered three goals and nine assists for 12 points.

While his point totals are low, it is the stuff that does not appear on the score sheet that Gustafsson excels at. He was one of the better defensive players in the SHL last year. That is even more impressive when you consider he was only 17, playing in one of the toughest leagues in the world. He's good at breaking up passes and forcing turnovers in the neutral zone. He's also a strong skater and uses his 6' 4", 203-pound frame to deliver big hits.

This is the type of player that will be huge for the Islanders. Sure, they have a lot of quality defensive prospects, but none of them, aside from Jesse Pulkkinen, provide much physicality. Even then, Pulkkinen is not guaranteed to make the NHL. Adding Gustafsson will give the Islanders a hard-hitting defenseman prospect they know will make it to the NHL someday. It's a player they can rely on to give them a defensive and physical edge in the future.

Although Gustafsson has promise, it is going to be years before we see him in the NHL. He is expected to spend the next couple of seasons in the SHL, where he will hopefully continue to play strong defense and improve his offensive ability. At that point, he will likely sign his entry-level deal and make the jump to North America. From there, he will be on the NHL bubble and will likely spend a season and a half in the AHL. We will not see him in the NHL until at least the 2029-30 season.

Gustafsson may not have numbers that jump off the page, but he would be a great pick for the Islanders. He can be the big, physical defenseman who can help the Islanders win in the future.

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