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

Eetu Liukas could be another late-round gem with size, strength

A running theme here regarding these players in Bridgeport is that they won’t wow you with productivity yet. But their size, steady improvement, and raw tools set them apart from others currently in Bridgeport who haven’t spent extended time with the Isles. 

Eetu Liukas is another one of those players, drafted in the fifth round of the 2021 draft and playing his first season in North America this year. Like Dufour and Kuefler, his stat line is wowing nobody, with seven points and three goals in 41 contests, but his physicality is what also makes him an enticing prospect in Bridgeport to follow. 

That said, there is a chance he picks up his scoring productivity, something we saw during his time in Finland, once, in Liiga when he amassed 14 goals in 58 games in 2022-23. He also scored another 10 goals in 13 contests in U20-SM Sarja the season before. 

There were going to be struggles with the transition to North America, but once he’s got a full season under him, there is a good chance Liukas adapts and shows off that scoring ability. It won’t happen for what’s left of this season, but the physical play will draw you in. 

Next year, keep an eye on that stat line, and if it trends north, Liukas will get an extended look if he combines such output with his physicality. 

(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference and Elite Prospects)