Stefen Rosner On State Of Islanders Seven months after being drafted by the New York Islanders [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/latest-news/new-york-islanders-mike-reilly-heart-procedure-concussion-sabres-2024-25-season], goaltending prospect Marcus Gidlöf topped Daily Faceoff's list of the best late-round picks from the 2024 NHL Draft: Gidlöf was drafted in the fifth round of the 2024 NHL Draft, selected 147th overall by the Islanders. Playing for Leksand IF in the SHL, he boasts a 5-3-0 record, 2.07 GAA and .917 SV%. The 19-year-old did serve as the backup for Team Sweden at the IIHF World Junior Championships. He started two games, winning a preliminary round game against Kazakhstan 8-1 while making 15 saves on 16 shots. Gidlof's other start was the bronze medal game, where he made 30 saves on 32 shots. Sweden fell to Czechia in the shootout, losing by a score of 3-2. In his list, Steven Ellis said, "Now spending more time in the SHL, Gidlöf has been the league’s top U-20 league while also registering a perfect record in seven outings back in the top junior league. Gidlöf was Sweden’s backup at the World Juniors, and while he lost the bronze medal game, he still posted a .938 save percentage through two starts. He hasn’t played a ton of hockey this year, but he has made it count with some excellent results – and an even better glove hand, from the looks of it." His success is certainly welcome in the Islanders' system. Henrik Tikkanen, Jakub Skarek, and Hunter Miska have all struggled for AHL Bridgeport as the team continues to sit near the bottom of the standings. Marcus Hogberg has been a success in Semyon Varlamov's absence, but the depth otherwise has been a concern. Although Gidlöf's timeline to jump stateside is to be determined, his development will be imperative to help the Islanders organization down the road. He may get lost in the shuffle of the Islanders' draft class last year, headlined by Boston University standout Cole Eiserman, but Gidlöf's success overseas could bode well to replenish the Islanders' struggling goalie pipeline. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjEyMTYyOTcwODQ5OTEyODA4/google-news.svg] Stay updated with the most interesting Islanders stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwpuDfCA?ceid=CA:en&oc=3] to never miss a story.
