Islanders Prospect Report: Apr. 1, 2024

Welcome to the Islanders Prospect Report, a weekly roundup of the Islanders' junior, collegiate and European prospects. Visit our In the System page for more prospect content.

\Here are this week's updates on Islanders prospects: \

ISAIAH GEORGE MAKES A SPLASH IN THE PLAYOFFS

Isaiah George and the London Knights are leading the Flint Firebirds 2-0 in the first round of the OHL playoffs. 

The Islanders’ 2022 fourth-round pick (98th overall) had a big goal in Game Two to jumpstart a comeback for the Knights. Down 3-1 in the first period, George scored his first goal in the postseason with a blast in the slot to cut the deficit to 3-2, in an eventual 6-4 win for the Knights on Sunday.

The 19-year-old defenseman has taken seven shots through two games of the series. George got his first taste of the playoffs last season, where he recorded three assists through 20 games and took 20 shots over that span.

Playoff action continues as George and the Knights look to take a commanding 3-0 series lead on Tuesday night.

BERG, FINLEY AND SCHULZ EXIT NCAA PLAYOFFS

Three Islanders prospects fell out of the NCAA Tournament in the first round, with each matchup decided by one goal.  

Freshmen Quinn Finley and Zachary Schulz saw their playoff run with Wisconsin come to end in a heartbreaking 3-2 OT loss to Quinnipiac on Friday.  

Going up against the defending champs was no easy task, but Finley stepped up in the battle for the Wisconsin Badgers. The 19-year-old winger was quick to intercept a pass in the Quinnipiac zone, moved in on their goalie and ripped one in the slot to tie the game at one apiece early in the second period. The teams then traded goals in the period and went to overtime tied at two, but Quinnipiac came out victorious in the extra frame.

Finley, who the Islanders drafted in the third-round of the 2022 NHL Draft (78th overall) reached 10 goals and 15 points this season, including Friday’s tally. This marked his first NCAA playoff run. 

Schulz, who the Islanders drafted in the sixth round (177th overall) of the 2023 NHL Draft, recorded one shot for the Badgers in his first NCAA playoff game on Friday and finished his freshman season with six points (2G, 4A).

Quinnipiac was subsequently eliminated on Saturday in a 5-4 OT loss to Boston College, who punched their ticket to the Frozen Four.

Elsewhere, Cameron Berg’s postseason run was cut short as the North Dakota Fighting Hawks fell to Michigan 4-3 in the NCAA Regional Semis. The Islanders’ 2021 fourth-round pick (125th overall) took three shots, went 12-for-21 in the dot but was held off the scoresheet in the loss. Berg completed his third year in NCAA play and this marked first time he’d competed in the tournament. 

GILL, DRAKKAR UP 2-0 IN ROUND ONE

Justin Gill and the Baie-Comeau Drakkar are up 2-0 on the Charlottetown Islanders in the first round of the QMJHL playoffs.

The Islanders' 2023 fifth-round pick (145th overall) has powered the offense for the Drakkar in the regular season - recording the second-highest point total in the league with 98 - and is producing points in the postseason. Gill scored a goal in a 4-1 win on Friday and a three-point game (3A) in Saturday's 4-1 win over Charlottetown.

It's the fourth postseason run for the 20-year-old center, who recorded 20 playoff points in two consecutive seasons, both for the Sherbrooke Phoenix.

STATS

CHL:

Isaiah George | London (OHL) | 68GP, 6G, 24A, 30P, 54PIM

Isaiah George | London (Playoffs) | 2GP, 1G, 0A, 1P, 0PIM

Justin Gill | Drakkar de Baie-Comeau (QMJHL) | 65GP, 40G, 58A, 98P, 64PIM

Justin Gill | Drakkar de Baie-Comeau (Playoffs) | 2GP, 1G, 3A, 4P, 0PIM

Liiga:

Aleksi Malinen | JYP | 15GP, 0G, 2A, 2P, 0PIM

Jesse Nurmi | Kookoo | 19GP, 0G, 2A, 2P, 2PIM

Matias Rajaniemi | SaiPa | 53GP, 0G, 8A, 8P, 8PIM

Allsvenskan:

Dennis Good Bogg | AIK | 10GP, 0G, 1A, 1P, 0PIM

Dennis Good Bogg | Östersunds IK | 8GP 0G, 1A, 1P | 6PIM

Alexander Ljungkrantz | Almtuna IS | 44GP, 20G, 12A, 32P, 8PIM

SHL:

Alexander Ljungkrantz | Färjestad BK | 8GP, 0G, 0A, 0P, 0PIM

Calle Odelius | Djurgardens IF | 10GP, 0G, 4A, 4P, 4PIM

USHL:

Tomas Machu | Youngstown | 56GP, 0G, 15A, 15P, 72PIM

NCAA:

Cameron Berg | North Dakota (NCHC) | 39GP, 20G, 17A, 37P, 8PIM

Quinn Finley | Wisconsin (Big Ten) | 36GP, 10G, 6A, 15P, 16PIM

Alex Jefferies | Merrimack (Hockey East) | 22GP, 13G, 10A, 23P, 19PIM

Danny Nelson | Notre Dame (Big Ten) | 30GP, 9G, 14A, 23P, 32PIM

Zachary Schulz | Wisconsin (Big Ten) | 34GP, 2G, 4A, 6P, 6PIM