While the young New York Islanders players have enjoyed their time playing alongside and against NHLers at training camp, our Stefen Rosner caught up with a handful of the veterans to get their take on their young linemates.

EAST MEADOW, NY -- After three days of rookie camp, New York Islanders prospects have had the opportunity to skate alongside NHL talent.

Head coach Lane Lambert, by design, placed a prospect or two on a line with a veteran. 

"It's communication, and that's the reason why we have some young guys [with veterans]. It's about the culture," Lambert said. "Those guys have created the culture, and they are the culture, and having them pass it down through their communication and through their work ethic, I think, is important."

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While the young players have enjoyed playing alongside and against NHLers during camp, I caught up with a handful of the veterans to get their take on their young linemates.

PAGEAU & LEE ON MAGGIO

From the first day of training camp, 20-year-old Matthew Maggio has skated alongside Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Anders Lee. 

The Islanders' 2022 fifth-round selection was named OHL Player of the Year in his fourth season with the Windsor Spitfires after scoring 54 goals with 57 assists in 66 games. 

Following the end of his season, Maggio joined the Bridgeport Islanders for three games, recording two assists. 

Here's what his NHL linemates had to say.

"I think he's a very smart player. Obviously, he's got really good quickness to his feet and moves super well, but I think his hockey sense [stands out]," Pageau told The Hockey News. "He goes to the right spots on the ice. He knows when to drive the net. He's got a lot of drive, which is not always the first thing you see from a young player. if he wants to drive the net, he's there. 

"He's there to make plays, and he's got a good shot, too, so he's very impressive so far."

Lee echoed Pageau's sentiments and added some insight of his own:

"His IQ is there," Lee told THN. "You watch our practices. There's not a lot of space out there with some of the way things are designed, and it's meant to be that way. So you really got to think the game in a different way. You can't just always rely on escaping, so he's done a good job of that.

"He's really open and just asking questions and stuff like that. And that's the little things that just start to build on one another and start to create a little bit of rhythm."

Maggio is expected to make his preseason debut this week at some point. 

NELSON ON DUFOUR & ISKHAKOV

Brock Nelson has been tasked with two young prospects on his line. To his left has been 23-year-old Ruslan Iskhakov, with 21-year-old William Dufour on his right.

Both are coming off their first season in Bridgeport, with Iskhakov racking up 17 goals with 34 assists while Dufour potted 21 goals with 27 assists.

Dufour did play in one NHL game last season, coming on Jan. 18 against the Boston Bruins. 

Let's start with Nelson's words on Dufour. 

"I mean, his shot for sure [has been a standout]," Nelson said. "He can wire the puck. He gets himself in good spaces. Saw a couple of nice shots, finding corners with some velocity.

"Seems to be a smart player. He's improved size-wise and speed-wise every year."

Now to what Nelson has seen from Iskhakov:

"Super shifty and super quick. Pretty fun guy to watch in tight spaces, how he can absorb the speed and the pressure and get in and out of turns," Nelson said. "His hands mimic that, as well. He's got some quick hands and can make some pretty nice plays. Has the puck on a string. 

"So, I try to get open for him. He finds the guys in tight spaces and gets some opportunities."

Dufour's goal in preseason play will be to continue to show off that skating, while Iskahkov needs to focus on using his speed to create time and space. 

HORVAT & BARZAL ON DURANDEAU

Arnaud Durandeau has been in the Islanders system since 2019, so he's on the "older side" for a prospect at 24. 

But the 2017 sixth-round pick is coming off his best season in Bridgeport, potting 24 goals with 31 assists in 68 games.

When Mathew Barzal went down with his long-term injury on Feb. 18, Durandeau was recalled, skating in four NHL games. 

He showed off his defensive IQ and got chances, with nine shots on goal. 

During camp thus far, skating alongside Bo Horvat and Barzal, Durandeau's brought it all. From his speed to his finishing, he's been a standout. 

"He's been great," Horvat told THN. "I mean, he's got so much speed and skill."

"Obviously, Barzal has that, too. So, just trying to keep up with those two down the middle has been a challenge."

Barzal doubled down on the speed part. 

"Speed and more speed," Barzal said. "He's fast, so yeah, I think he has a great pace to his game."

Durandeau's goal is to make the NHL roster, but if not, he wants to be among the first call-ups this season. Like many players, finishing has to be the focal point during preseason play because he seems like a sure NHLer if he can do that consistently. 

PULOCK ON GEORGE

Isaiah George has been the talk of camp. From his mobility to his tape-to-tape passing and poise, the 19-year-old has been noticeable in every facet. 

The 2022 fourth-round pick is likely heading back to the OHL for his final season with the London Knights, but he's certainly improved his prospect stock.

For most of camp, the Islanders have paired George with veteran Ryan Pulock. 

"He looks solid. I think he's got good poise, offensively and defensively," Pulock told THN. "Watching him for a couple of days here, off rushes and defensive zone ending plays, he looks like he's got a lot of confidence in all areas of his game."

MARTIN ON LIUKAS

Eetu Liukas has all the makings of being part of the next generation of Islander fourth-liners.

The fifth-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft told THN that he is staying in North America following camp. He will embark on his first season with the organization, starting in Bridgeport.

In 58 games with HPK Hameenlinna of the Finnish Elite League, the grinding forward scored 14 goals with nine assists.

During camp, Liukas has skated alongside current fourth-line staple 

Matt Martin and depth player Brian Pinho.

"He's obviously a big body. Skates well. Kind of a hard-nosed, straight-line player," Martin told THN. "He's still trying to learn everything we're doing here, so he's only going to get more and more comfortable, but from a skill standpoint, he's got that typical power forward build type of game.

"I haven't seen much of him playing live-action, but I think he's a pretty physical player. So, it seems like he has a little bit of that in his game. When he's getting on the forecheck, you recognize that he'd probably rather finish the guy than let up like we are out there. He's looked good."

The Islanders play three preseason games this week, starting with Tuesday night against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, followed by games Wednesday against the Philadelphia Flyers and Friday against the Rangers at UBS Arena. 

We do not have rosters yet for any of the preseason games, but Lambert told us the following:

"There's going to be some changes made to the game groups for sure," Lambert said. "Of course, there's some similarity to it, but it's certainly not something that we're just gonna go with, 'this group's playing against this team, and this group's playing that team'... it's not like that."