3 New York Islanders prospects in Bridgeport who are worth keeping an eye on

Daylan Kuefler is another late-rounder with more upside than his draft status 

Daylan Kuefler is one player who could make a list like this over the next few seasons, as he’s nowhere near a finished product, but his strength and raw tools are what make him enticing. A former sixth-round pick, Kuefler hasn’t dominated at any level, and it’s one reason he’s a fringe NHLer at best. 

His most exciting season came in 2022-23 while playing for the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers when he scored 31 goals and totaled 61 points in 54 games while adding another seven points in 13 playoff outings. 

Not healthy enough to start the season, we have seen a limited sample size of Kuefler so far, as he saw just 17 games of action for the ECHL’s Worcester Railers and 14 for Bridgeport, logging 12 points and seven goals in those 31 contests. 

Physicality is what will most likely make him a standout in Bridgeport, and we will get an extended look to see how well he improves at the AHL level if he stays healthy all of next season. 

A full offseason will benefit Kuefler, and he could surprise us productivity-wise, much like we saw from him over his last two seasons of juniors. He may not be the most well-known or the flashiest prospect, but Kuefler’s high potential makes him worth watching next year.