NY Islanders top pick Malte Gustafsson's NHL dream fueled by sibling rivalry

Call it a heated rivarly, a sibling rivalry, or both.

Whatever it is, New York Islanders 2026 first-round pick Malte Gustafsson has been motivated throughout his life by matching up against and alongside his older brother.

According to Daily Faceoff draft analyst Uffe Bodin, Gustafsson's path to becoming one of Sweden's top young defensive prospects has been heavily influenced by his older brother, Viggo Gustafsson, a prospect in the Nashville Predators organization.

"Malte's older brother, Viggo, is an interesting story too, because he's a pro player himself, drafted by the Nashville Predators, and actually signed his ELC with the Preds this season and made his debut in the AHL with the Milwaukee Admirals," Bodin explained.

The two brothers even played together this past season for Swedish club Huddinge IK's junior program, creating a unique developmental environment where competition and inspiration went hand in hand. "And Malte has cited his older brother as one of the main reasons why he has been so successful, because there's always been the sibling rivalry," Bodin said. "He's taken a lot of inspiration from his brother."

While Viggo has already reached the professional ranks, Bodin noted that many evaluators actually consider Malte to possess the higher long-term upside. The younger Gustafsson showcased that potential on one of hockey's biggest junior stages this spring.

"His finest moments of the season obviously came during the World Under-18 Championships in Slovakia, where he was probably the best Swedish player on the team when they captured gold," Bodin said. "I think he was voted into the All-Star team of the tournament and made a huge presence in that tournament."

If Bodin is correct, the younger Gustafsson brother may ultimately climb even higher than the sibling who first inspired him. That would be a great outcome for the Islanders, and would be unspoken bragging rights for the younger brother as the two chase their NHL dreams.

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