NY Islanders sign Daniil Prokhorov to Entry-Level Deal, keeping options open

On Tuesday, the New York Islanders announced the signing of 2025 second-round pick Daniil Prokhorov to a three-year entry-level contract.

Prokhorov, selected 45th overall in June’s NHL Draft, had recently agreed to a two-year, two-way contract with the KHL’s Dynamo Moscow after completing a professional tryout with the club. By putting pen to paper with the Islanders, however, the 18-year-old Russian forward now has the flexibility to opt out of his KHL deal and make the move to North America if he and the organization choose that path.

The 6-foot-5 winger has spent the last two seasons with Dynamo St. Petersburg Jr. of the MHL, Russia’s top junior league, where he posted 20 goals and seven assists for 27 points in 43 games last season. Known for his physical presence and ability to play a heavy game with skill, Prokhorov quickly rose up draft boards in 2024–25 and has been described by Islanders brass as a player with legitimate top-six upside.

The Islanders’ signing ensures that Prokhorov remains firmly in their developmental pipeline, with multiple potential routes ahead. The OHL’s Sarnia Sting selected him in the second round of the 2025 CHL Import Draft, meaning a move to junior hockey in Canada is also on the table. “Daniil is anabsolute beast of a player,” Sting GM Dylan Seca said after drafting Prokhorov. “He plays a heavy game with skill and pace. If we can get him here, then it’s a grand slam. If he doesn’t come, then it was worth the risk. It’s high-end NHL talent that we’re really excited to add to our program.”

Whether he spends the next two seasons in Russia, jumps into the OHL, or eventually lands in Bridgeport once eligible, the Islanders have secured his rights and options for the future. By signing Prokhorov, New York continues to add size and skill to a prospect pool that Corey Pronman recently ranked among the NHL’s top 10, a huge leap forward for the franchise