NY Islanders prospect is ready for Bridgeport after smooth transition last season

New York Islanders 2020 4th-round pick Alex Jefferies made the jump from college to professional hockey last season, signing an Amateur Tryout (ATO) contract and debuting with the Bridgeport Islanders late in the season.

The move to the next level isn't supposed to be simple, but Jefferies, who played four successful seasons at Merrimack College, was prepared for the change. "It was a pretty easy transition for me personally," Jefferies told the Big Apple Hockey podcast.

"The pro-life and not going to class, not going to school, that was the biggest thing for me, and once you get onto the ice, it was a smooth transition," said Jefferies, who earned a nomination for the 2024 Hobey Baker Award, given to the NCAA's top player. He finished his college career scoring 13 goals and 10 assists in 22 games after a 41-point (14G, 27A) junior season in the Hockey East Conference.

Jefferies acknowledged that the AHL was faster and that the competition was stronger, but overall, he adapted well in his 12 games, scoring four goals and three assists for the Isles' AHL affiliate. That experience will help the 22-year-old from Lunenburg, MA, at the Islanders' training camp next month when his Bridgeport teammates and some new but familiar faces join him.

"I went down to the Island for a couple days two weeks ago, and some of the guys were skating there," Jefferies told the show. "There were 10-12 guys out there. It was cool, I got to meet a bunch of them, they're all super nice guys."

Jefferies is an intriguing prospect that one one of the best players in college hockey. He has showcased a quick release to go along with enough speed and strength to give him a chance at transitiniong to the next level on Long Island in the coming seasons.