Per Expressen, New York Islanders prospect Robin Salo has decided to return to the Swedish Hockey League.
Per Expressen, New York Islanders prospect Robin Salo has decided to return to the Swedish Hockey League.
Per Expressen, New York Islanders prospect Robin Salo has decided to return to the Swedish Hockey League:
New York's former second-round pick (No. 46) in 2017 played 32 games at the NHL level, with three goals and six assists, last playing in the NHL on Dec. 22, 2022, against the New York Rangers, struggling mightily.
It became clear that the Finnish defenseman had fallen out of favor with the organization after he failed to receive a call-up after being demoted after that Rangers game.
Instead, left-side defenseman Samuel Bolduc, the club's second-round pick (No. 57) in 2019, got an opportunity along with defenseman Parker Wotherspoon, who the Islanders drafted in the fourth round (No. 112) of the 2015 NHL Draft.
Despite Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello sharing before this past training camp that Salo would skate with the NHL club because he had NHL potential, the left-side defenseman failed to receive a call-up when Adam Pelech suffered another upper-body injury.
Scott Mayfield and Sebastian Aho also fell victim to injuries, but instead, Lamoriello waiver-claimed Mike Reilly and sent a 2024 seventh-round pick to the St. Louis Blues for Robert Bortuzzo.
This past season, Salo recorded five goals with 19 assists in 68 games for Bridgeport after 14 assists in 38 games for the Islanders' AHL affiliate in 2022-23.
Salo was a Group 6 pending unrestricted free agent rather than a restricted free agent because he is 25, has played in three or more professional seasons, and played in less than 90 NHL games.
Prior to joining the Islanders organization, Salo spent two seasons (2019-20, 2020-21) in the Swedish Hockey League, the top league in Sweden.
The Hockey News contacted Salo's agent, Lewis Gross, to verify the report but have yet to hear back.