NY Islanders rookie camp roster full of players at different stages of development

Rookie camp isn't training camp. Nobody should confuse the two.

But for a handful of players on the New York Islanders' 25-man rookie camp roster, what happens over the next few days could be the beginning of a legitimate push toward an NHL job.

The Islanders announced a group of 14 forwards, eight defensemen and three goaltenders Wednesday, with Cole Eiserman, Victor Eklund, Isaiah George and Kashawn Aitcheson among the biggest names attending.

George probably has the most immediately at stake. The 22-year-old defenseman has NHL experience and enters camp with a realistic opportunity to stay with the Islanders this time.

Eklund is another player who shouldn't be viewed as simply attending for development. The No. 16 pick in 2025 finished last season with Bridgeport before making his NHL debut and will get a legitimate opportunity to make the Islanders out of training camp.

Then there's Eiserman.

The 2024 first-round pick got his first taste of professional hockey late last season after leaving Boston University, producing nine points in 12 games with Bridgeport. His NHL-caliber shot has never been questioned. Rookie camp offers another chance to show the rest of his game is catching up.

Aitcheson, Daniil Prokhorov and Tomas Poletin give the roster even more intrigue from the highly regarded 2025 draft class. Vladimir Dravecky, the Islanders' fourth-round selection this summer, is also among the eight defensemen participating.

One notable absence is 2026 first-round pick Malte Gustafsson, who attended development camp in July but isn't listed on the rookie camp roster.

That's what makes this year's group interesting. There are prospects at completely different stages.

Some are here to develop. Some here to make the NHL roster.And for George and perhaps Eklund, rookie camp could be the first few days of an audition that doesn't end until the Islanders make their final NHL roster decisions.

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