Islanders Prospects Ranked #9 in the National Hockey League for the Second Year in a Row.

The Islanders prospects were ranked ninth in the National Hockey League by Corey Pronman of “The Athletic.” This is the second year in a row the team’s prospects were ranked ninth. Indeed, the future is bright for the team, which added Malte Gustafsson to its prospect list in the most recent draft.

The moribund team, just two years ago, had a prospect pool described as a puddle, but it has experienced a remarkable turnaround in General Manager Matthew Darche’s one-year tenure. He faces some big challenges in the coming season, with all these prospects and some much-beloved veterans who will have to go. Do you think the Islanders will be able to turn over their roster?

Islanders Prospects Ranked Ninth in NHL

The Islanders have the rare honor of being on a top-ten prospect list in the National Hockey League for the second year in a row; they ranked ninth. Without further ado, here are the rankings, which are odd as they include a couple of players who played extensively for the team last season.

1. Matthew Schaefer, D

Drafted number 1 overall in the 2025 National Hockey League draft. He won the Calder Trophy as the rookie of the year in the league, unanimously, after playing a full season with the team. He is correctly rated by Pronman as an NHL star, and he will be a top-pairing defenseman for years to come.

2. Kashawn Aitcheson, D

He was the best defenseman in the OHL last season. He scored a lot and was very physical. He should fit seamlessly into the second defensive pairing and should arrive in the 2027-8 season.

3. Malte Gustafsson, D

The 2026 13th overall draft pick is already playing with adults in Sweden. He has offensive and defensive skills, and he should also arrive in the 2027-8 season. He may be good enough to pair on the top pairing with Schafer.

4. Daniil Prokhorov, RW

He is a very strong competitor with size and good hands. He is the type of physical player the Islanders need. He is not overly fast, but he can skate with NHL-level players. He will be a physical, coach-favorite player. He will arrive in the 2027-8 season and projects as a member of the second or third line.

5. Danny Nelson, C

He played for the American team at the World Junior Championships, but he hasn’t been a huge scorer in college. He is large at 6-foot-3, and he skates well. He will probably chip in a lot of goals in front of the net, but he will have some trouble generating his own offense. He could arrive with the Islanders next season.

6. Victor Eklund, RW

He is already on the Islanders, having debuted at the end of last season. He competed in the World Junior Championships for Sweden and against adults last season in the Swedish professional League. He is likely to play in the middle six for the Islanders this season.

7. Calum Ritchie, C

This is another player who played with the Islanders last season. He improved as the season went on and made valuable contributions on the team’s power play. He showed he belonged last season and could be a valuable contributor to the team’s third line.

8. Cole Eiserman, LW

The number twenty draft pick in the 2024 draft is taking a while to develop. He might have a cup of coffee with the Islanders this season, but is likely to play full-time in 2027-8. He has a great shot and is a strong scorer. However, he does not play well without the puck and is not a strong defender. His shot is good enough to play on the power play in the NHL.

9. Tomáš Poletín, LW

A 2025 draft pick who is having a solid minor league career. He is not flashy, but he does check a lot of boxes. He can skate at an NHL level and projects as a fourth-line contributor in the 2027-8 season.

10. Vladimír Dravecký, D

The 141st draft pick in 2026 is a solid NHL player. He projects as a third-line defender in the 2027-8 season. He is solid, and professional coaches can trust him.

Conclusion

The Islanders have some other prospects who could make an impact for the team. Quinn Finley just wrapped up a good collegiate career at Wisconsin last season. Dimitri Gamzen is a goaltender playing in Russia. Isaiah George will play for the Islanders this year. Keep an eye on Jakob Kvasnicka, who plays for the University of Minnesota, and Defenseman Jesse Pulkkinen.