Prospect Info: 2023 Top Islanders Prospects #12

[SI]

1. Dufour, RW, 21
2. Bolduc, LHD, 22
3. Maggio, RW, 20
4. Holmstrom, LW/RW, 22
5. Nelson, C, 18
6. Iskhakov, LW, 23
7. Durandeau, LW, 23
8. Odelius, LHD, 19
9. Salo, LHD, 24
10. George, LHD, 19
11. Jefferies, RW, 21
12. ?

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[hockeylaxdad]

Add: Mitchell, Fulp, Kuefler

 

[leeroggy]

I'm the only one who keeps voting for this guy:

His posture is athletic, bending optimally in his knees and hips. Malinen is also explosive, which helps him to beat forecheckers and create clean exits as the puck carrier. When he’s at his best, Malinen can dominate the game as a transitional force capable of going coast-to-coast, blending in crossovers and stick weaves to go through the neutral zone. -EliteProspects 2021 NHL Draft Guide

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

I'm the only one who keeps voting for this guy:

His posture is athletic, bending optimally in his knees and hips. Malinen is also explosive, which helps him to beat forecheckers and create clean exits as the puck carrier. When he’s at his best, Malinen can dominate the game as a transitional force capable of going coast-to-coast, blending in crossovers and stick weaves to go through the neutral zone. -EliteProspects 2021 NHL Draft Guide

I don't think many have him on the radar at all.

However, he played 42 Liiga games last season (7 assists) and was on Finland's WJC team.

JYP is fully planning with him as a top 5 Dman this season. His skating is truly fantastic.

Add Newkirk

 

[leeroggy]

I don't think many have him on the radar at all.

However, he played 42 Liiga games last season (7 assists) and was on Finland's WJC team.

JYP is fully planning with him as a top 5 Dman this season. His skating is truly fantastic.

Add Newkirk

Who knows . . . we could use one of these . . .

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

Who knows . . . we could use one of these . . .

View attachment 737998

That's not a very young Brian Leetch, is it?

 

[leeroggy]

Reijo Ruitsalainen! (Spelling?)

That's not a very young Brian Leetch, is it?

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

Reijo Ruitsalainen! (Spelling?)

Wow, that's not a guy a lot of folks nowadays are going to remember!

I'd be ecstatic if Malinen ended up being a Sebastian Aho style addition (as in, our Aho). I think he's actually a better skater.

A former Finnish player of mine who is now coaching juniors in Finland thinks he's got the goods to be a poor man's Miro Heiskanen.

So, uh, there's that.

 

[leeroggy]

Wow, that's not a guy a lot of folks nowadays are going to remember!

I'd be ecstatic if Malinen ended up being a Sebastian Aho style addition (as in, our Aho). I think he's actually a better skater.

A former Finnish player of mine who is now coaching juniors in Finland thinks he's got the goods to be a poor man's Miro Heiskanen.

So, uh, there's that.

I'd take that too . . .

I think this is finally going to be a fun year to watch Bridgeport and the progress with the kids. There's potential for a few blossomings to put the Pronman's to shame.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

I'd take that too . . .

I think this is finally going to be a fun year to watch Bridgeport and the progress with the kids. There's potential for a few blossomings to put the Pronman's to shame.

I thought it was fun last year already. It'll be more interesting this year.

- We've got two draftees in goal in Skarek and Lennox (if he's ready)
- There are actual NHL options on D in Bolduc, Salo, Cholowski, and Hutton, while we look forward to seeing just what Fulp and Mitchell are. Like you, I'd hope Krygier is so solid defensively that he forces his way into action.
- Theoretically, in a perfect developmental world, it should be Holmstrom, Koivula, Iskhakov, Durandeau, and Dufour leading the way offensively, getting the big offensive minutes. Very exciting to see what Maggio is, who looks like he's got that waterbug mentality and just "gets it" with respect to offensive generation. MacLean and Newkirk are at the point where it'd be big to see if they are serious 4th line options for the NHL one day. Kuefler is coming in looking like a Matt Martin type and he's got time (and probably would have more from an ECHL season). Pivonka is a draftee who's coming in as an AHL signing, but I sure hope we see the same things out of him that we've been seeing out of MacLean.

Several vets and sophomores (Helgeson, Bardreau, LaDue, Kubiak, Appleby, Sevigny, Cosgrove, Pinho) are mixed in with several CHL and NCAA adds (Piercey, Calder, Cipollone, not to mention Pivonka and Krygier).

Again, for those who might have thought otherwise, each of Liukas, Odelius, Malinen, and Rajaniemi will continue to play in Europe this season.

I think Tikannen is about the only guy whose status we're still totally uncertain about.

 

[steveat]

I can't see no more than 5 or 6 MAYBE making it to the NHL. The closest lock is Bolduc. With such a small smaple size, who know where that one will end up. I also think Durandeau will make it as well as Holmstrom. Koivula keeps getting chances and he either gets injured or there's no injury spot to fill. I think he is NHL potential, but with Zeeker there another billion years, he's got no chance unless he somehow unleashes some unfound talent and blows people off their feet. He does make good depth, but how long would you want to be depth. Maybe it's time for him to move on.