7 Players to Watch at Islanders Rookie Camp

Rookie camp begins for the New York Islanders on Thursday. Here's seven players to watch.

New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello shared that all players currently on their entry-level contracts, regardless of NHL experience, will participate, including draft picks and prospects that are eligible to come, including junior players.

The Islanders' prospect pool may be ranked low by the experts, but that doesn't mean it's a pool lacking potential.

Let's dive into five players to watch at this year's rookie camp. 

William Dufour, the Islanders' 2020 fifth-round pick, has an NHL-caliber shot, with Oliver Wahlstrom sharing that Dufour's "got a cannon" back during last year's training camp. That cannon of a shot and a wicked release with the wrister allowed for success in his first season with the AHL's Bridgeport Islanders, potting 21 goals and 27 assists in 69 games. 

He did make his NHL debut, playing a few shifts against the Boston Bruins, but certainly has to work on his skating to become a legitimate NHL player.

And that's what he's worked on this offseason. 

"Like I said every time, [I need to improve] my skating, my explosion," Dufour said at the NHL PA's Rookie Showcase on Sept. 5th. "When I'm max speed, I think I'm pretty fast for a big guy like me, but I think it's really my first couple of strides I need to improve."

In his first season back in North America, spending two years at the University of Connecticut before returning to Europe, Ruslan Iskhakov was an all-star for Bridgeport, potting 17 goals with 34 assists in 69 games.

The Islanders' former second-round selection (No. 43) at the 2018 NHL Draft did not get a chance to suit up for the big club in his first season with the organization, but has the speed and high-end hand-eye coordination that makes him a threat.

The one area of Iskhakov's game that lacks is his size, standing at five-foot-nine and weighing 165 pounds. 

"Rusty's a great player. We played a lot together throughout the year at times, and was probably one of the most skilled players I've ever played with in the American League," former Bridgeport Islander Chris Terry said on Hockey Night in New York. "He can do things with the puck that other guys can't. Obviously, he's on the smaller side, but I think that works to his advantage.

After being selected by the Islanders 65th overall at the 2022 NHL Draft, Calle Odelius quickly became a top defensive prospect in the system.

The 19-year-old left-hander played in Sweden's version of the AHL this past season, with one goal and 10 assists in 43 games for Djurgardens. 

This will be his first rookie camp, and he will be returning to Djurgardens for the 2023-24 season before coming over to North America, potentially when their season ends. 

Odelius is a two-way defenseman who has some offensive upside, an area of his game that he will certainly look to improve upon. His vision and IQ allow for smooth transitions, something that the Islanders can certainly use more of.

"Calle Odelius is the defender with the highest upside in the system," The Hockey News' Tony Ferrari said. "The young Swede is a skilled puck-mover and deceptive skater. He reads pressure quickly and makes passes without hesitation. Odelius is a decent defender, but he must become a bit more willing to engage physically because he shies away from that side of the game at the moment. He will go as far as his playmaking brings him, but he must round out other parts of his game to allow him to get that chance."

Matthew Maggio is coming off an elite season, scoring 54 goals with 57 assists in 66 games with the OHL's Windsor Spitfires. 

The Islanders 2022 fifth-rounder (No. 142) and captain of Windsor was named OHL MVP with that stat line, and joined the Bridgeport Islanders for two games (one assist) before their season finished up. 

"Bridgeport just taught me the minimal systems and told me they wanted to see me play fast, play on my toes, and play hard and just let me go there and do my thing," the young right winger said in an exclusive interview with The Hockey News. "And obviously, it was a bit of a transition. I felt myself getting more and more comfortable every game, and it really opened my eyes to the things that I need to work on this summer to come in and be an impact player for pro next year, wherever it is."

Maggio, 20, has an impressive shot, a strong hockey IQ, and with already a few rookie camps under his belt, will look to show why the Islanders should focus heavily on his development. 

Coming over for his first training camp, Eetu Liukas, 20, is a player that fits the Islanders' style. 

Although the Islanders' 2021 fifth-rounder (No. 157) has played up and down the lineups, whether it be for the Finnish junior teams or in the Finnish Elite League, he seems like a perfect player to eventually slot in on New York's fourth line.

"He always plays a physical game in Liiga. And he also showed his physical side at that tournament,” Jatkoika reporter Tiia Honkamaa shared. “I basically asked him, ‘Did you have to change anything in your game to be here, or do you just, like, do the same thing as in Liiga?’ He said yeah, I don’t need to change much.”

A physical player who knows how to use his body, standing at six-foot-two, and weighing 202 pounds, provides raw speed that the Islanders lack.

Liukas is expected to play for Bridgeport this season after scoring 14 goals with nine assists in 58 games with HPK Hameenlinna. 

One of the more intriguing players in the Islanders' system, Isaiah George, has the potential to be a steal. Taken in the fourth round (No. 98) of the 2023 NHL Draft, George is a five-tool defenseman who wanted to focus on offense in his second season with the OHL's London Knights.

“I think I really wanted to become a two-way defenseman,” George said at the NHL Draft. “I think my defensive game is definitely my strong point at this stage in my hockey career. I think the offense is continuing to grow, and I think it’s gotten better even this season.”

This past season, George scored seven goals with 15 assists in 54 games, and although he may not have been as elite defensively as he was the previous season, the now 19-year-old has a tremendous amount of potential. 

George was bodying off NHLers at last year's camp before a lower-body injury forced him to miss all of the preseason and led to a late start to his OHL campaign. 

The Islanders are incredibly high on centerman Danny Nelson, who they took with their second-round selection (No. 49) at this year's draft in Nashville.

"He plays a similar style to Brock Nelson. Came on strong at the end of the season. Big guy who reads the play very well. Potential to be a middle-6 guy for a long time," draft guru Rachel Doerrie said. 

Ironically enough, Nelson said he modeled his game after Brock.

"I'd say Brock Nelson is a guy that I really tried to model (my game) after. "I feel like he's a big guy," Nelson said. "He gets to the front of the net and scores a lot of goals from there. He's also responsible in the backend."

Nelson, a member of the United States National Development Team for the last two seasons, will be heading to Notre Dame in the fall, the alma maters of Islanders captain Anders Lee and Kyle Palmieri. 

He is coming off an eight-goal, nine-assist season in 23 USHL games.