5 Islanders in World Junior Championship: A Bounty for the Islanders and the Future is Bright
5 Islanders prospects are participating in Hockey’s World Junior Championships. Four Islanders participated last season. The 5 Islanders participants this year are a bounty and a sign of a bright future. The 5 Islanders participants are listed in this article.
The Islanders are currently in a playoff position in the crowded standings, and their future looks bright. However, the 5 Islanders prospects in the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship this year make the event a must-see television for Islanders fans. Do you plan on watching?
5 Islanders in the World Junior Hockey Championships
5 Islanders prospects in the World Junior Hockey Championships began yesterday. The future is indeed bright for the Islanders. Here a listing of the players:
Cole Eiserman, Forward, Boston College
Notably, Forward Cole Eiserman will return to Team USA for the second straight year, as the two-time defending gold medal winners eye their third consecutive crown. Eiserman was a key contributor to last year’s win, recording three goals and four assists for seven points in seven games. He is the top Islanders prospect and could arrive at UBS next season.
Kamil Bednarik, Forward, Boston College
Joining him for the first time will be Boston College teammate Kamil Bendarik. The forward and 2024 second-round pick has five goals and four assists for nine points in 17 games this season for the Eagles. He has played well and earned his spot on this team. It is a good thing the Islanders have so much firepower on the same collegiate team.
Kashawn Aitcheson, Defenseman, Barrie Colts
It gets even better for the Islanders as they also have high-scoring defensemen, Aitcheson. He will play for Team Canada. This is his first time in Junior play. He is the Captain of the Barrie Colts. He’s scored an impressive nineteen goals and thirteen assists for thirty-two points in twenty-seven games, despite being slapped with a pair of suspensions so far this season. There are a lot of Gordie Howe (Goal, Assist, Fight) in his National Hockey League future.
Victor Eklund, Foreward, Djurgรฅrdens IF
Playing for Team Sweden is Victor Eklund, who was also a first-round draft pick for the Islanders. His older brother William plays for the San Jose Sharks. This year is his second trip to the Juniors after the team lost in the Bronze Medal Game last season. The forward had a prolific tournament, recording two goals and four assists for six points. Playing for Djurgรฅrdens IF of the Stockholm Hockey League, where he has a goal and ten assists for eleven points in twenty-five games.
Tomas Poletin, Forward, Kelowna Rockets
The last Islander’s prospect representative will play for the Czech Republic. He is Tomas Poletin. The fourth-round pick in this year’s draft will skate in his first World Juniors. He has probably had the best season of any Islanders prospect. In his first Western Hockey League season (his first season in North America), he played with the Kelowna Rockets. He’s averaging a point per game, recording eleven goals and fourteen assists for twenty-five points. He is among the Rockets’ leading scorers.
Last Season, This Season
This year’s 5 Islanders in the World Juniors is a step up in the team’s participation at the event, with four Islanders prospects playing in Ottawa last year. In addition to Eiserman, who repeats this year, forwards Danny Nelson (USA) and Jesse Nurmi (Finland), and goaltender Marcus Gidlof (Sweden) were the Islanders’ representatives.
The tournament started yesterday at 1:00 p.m., as Eklund and Sweden faced Slovakia. Eiserman and Bednarik opened as the United States faces Germany at 6:00 p.m.; Aitcheson and Canada face Poletin and Czechia at 8:30 p.m.
Conclusion
It will be exciting when the 5 Islanders prospects play for the big team, but other prospects are not in this tournament. In addition, the Islanders currently hold two first-round draft picks in next season’s deep draft. It gets even better for the Islanders. Current team members Bo Horvat and Matthew Schafer may represent Team Canada in the upcoming Milan-Cortina Olympics.
