NY Islanders prospect picks up right where he left off in return to Bridgeport

One of the most intriguing prospects in the New York Islanders' system is Isaiah George. After being drafted 98th overall in the 2022 draft, George has been a fast riser. After spending his first couple of seasons with the London Knights of the OHL, George put in a strong performance in his first AHL season. In 33 games last season, he registered four goals and 10 assists for 14 points. This performance earned him a call-up to the NHL, where he played 33 games.

With such a strong first season at the pro level, many were excited to see how he would follow it up. While George projects as a second to third pairing defenseman, with how quickly he made the NHL, many thought he could exceed these expectations. However, the hype surrounding George took a hit as he has missed the last month of play due to an upper-body injury. But his performance in his return this weekend has reminded everyone how good he could be.

Isaiah George can still see time in the NHL this season if his strong play contiunes

In George's return against the Laval Rocket, he recorded an assist on Cam Thiesing's goal to put Bridgeport up 1-0 just 7:58 into the contest. It appeared that missing nearly a month did not affect him as he picked up right where he left off. In 16 games this season, George has recorded one goal and four assists for five points. His strong play has been part of the reason Bridgeport has been so much better this season than they were last year.

While it's only been a couple of games, this should give fans confidence that George can still get called up to the NHL at some point this season. It's clear that George has gotten used to the speed of the AHL game and has been able to translate what worked for him at the junior level to the pro game. This is an extremely promising sign and usually indicates that the player will do well at the next level. If they can translate to the AHL, they'll likely be able to do it again in the NHL.

There are plenty of opportunities for George to get into the Islanders' lineup. While Matthew Schaefer is all that everyone talks about, the Islanders' blueline could use some help. The second pairing of Tony DeAngelo and Adam Pelech has struggled. According to Moneypuck, they have a 3.31 xGoals against per 60 minutes and a 61.2 shot attempts against per 60 minutes. The third pairing of Scott Mayfield and Travis Mitchell has not been much better, as they have a 2.46 xGoals against per 60 minutes and a 54.85 shot attempts against per 60 minutes.

With the Islanders being in second place in the Metro, they have a real shot at making the playoffs. However, if two of their three defensive pairings continue to play like this, it's going to cost the Islanders games. Calling up George is a quick move they can make to try to fix things. George could fit Patrick Roy's system better, thus improving the pairings' defense. At the very least, his ability to move the puck will create more scoring chances, masking the defense's problem.

Although it's not fair to place so much on a young skater, we could look back on George as the unsung hero of the 2025-26 season.