While the New York Islanders did get healthy, one player never made it back. That was Oliver Wahlstrom. He discussed his season-ending injury and his continued recovery.

While the New York Islanders did get healthy, one player never made it back. That was Oliver Wahlstrom. 

The 22-year-old fell victim to a lower-body injury on Dec. 27 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, missing the remaining 47 games of the regular season and the Islanders' six postseason contests.

Although his injury was never specified, all signs point to him tearing his ACL on that play as he took us through what happened.

"I was going in to get myself in the game early," Wahlstrom said. "The defense was gaining the back of the net. So I read that, got a good hit on him, and tried to separate him from the puck, and right when I hit, I guess he was kind of protecting the puck, and right when I launched up, my knee got stuck under his hip and then something twisted, and then the rest is history."

It was a tough pill to swallow for Wahlstrom, who came into training camp with tremendous confidence and a desire to raise his game in year four.

Through 35 games, Wahlstrom potted seven goals with nine assists, playing more often than not on Mathew Barzal's wing.

"I thought I was making strides," Wahlstrom said. "Obviously, the first month was awesome. And then obviously a little bit of a dip, and then it got right back up to where I was, again, when the injury happened.

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Despite missing so much time, missing a chance to help his teammates in the postseason, Wahlstrom is looking at his injury as a blessing.

"I look at it as a blessing. I'm working on the nutrition a lot now, obviously, not skating, so calories are gone. So I'm working on that side. And so it's been good," Wahlstrom said. 

Although a blessing in his eyes now, recovering has been extremely tough. 

"The first couple weeks, man, it's tough, you know, leaning on family members," Wahlstrom said. "I actually got a puppy in September. So I mean, I guess the timing was good. I spent every second with that guy teaching him tricks. So my mind was away from the game, but now I'm starting to ramp it up. And it's exciting."

His captain Anders Lee suffered the same injury back during the 2021-22 campaign, and The Hockey News asked Wahlstrom how much he leaned on Lee throughout his recovery. 

"A ton, man. Obviously, that first couple of weeks is tough, you know? I'd have my sister take care of me 24/7, and so yeah, I text him a lot," Wahlstrom said. 

Wahlstrom is known for his shot, but what we was over the last two years was his willingness to throw the body, as you saw on the play that put him on the shelf. 

He had 50 hits when his season ended, on pace for 117, which would have set a new career-high after 101 in 2021-22. 

"I'm a big guy, and I think I'm gonna put a little bit more muscle on the summer," the current six-foot-two, 205-pound Wahlstrom said. "I think that's where my game needs to trend.

"Obviously, I have the skill, and the skill is still there. But I think I have a lot of fun when I kind of create a little havoc. I think I stay in games more when I'm like that, and I'll always be a guy that if a teammate goes down or something, I'm not afraid to throw them around, but I'm not the type of guy that's looking for it."

Case in point below. 

"I think that's the next step in my game, is just to be a hard-nosed power forward that puts the puck in the net and keeps playing that style," Wahlstrom said. 

At this point in his recovery, Wahlstrom has not stepped foot on the ice just yet, but he hopes to do that in the coming weeks and is expecting to be ready to go for training camp.

When asked what his summer was going to look like, he said his "summer workout" had started months ago. 

"My summer started in December," Wahlstrom said. "I'm super excited to skate. I mean, it's going to be awesome. But like I said, I'm 22 years old, and I already put on a bunch of muscle, and I'm super excited to get going with the boys again next season. 

"So I'm gonna do everything I can this summer, and I know I'm going to be ready for training camp."

Wahlstrom is a restricted free agent, but he is not concerned about his next contract.

"I'm comfortable something's going to get done. But it's out of my control. Right now, I'm focusing on my priority, and that's my knee and getting healthy, and we'll go from there, but contracts play themselves out, so I don't have to worry about that right now," Wahlstrom said. 

The New York Islanders are relying heavily on Oliver Wahlstrom to take that next step. Despite bringing in Bo Horvat, management still has yet to provide Mat Barzal with a true sniper.

Wahlstrom has the potential to be that guy, and with the Islanders' cap situation, it would be highly beneficial for them to see their homegrown talent fill that dire need.