Islanders Prospect Report: Dec. 23, 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.

FOUR ISLANDERS TO PLAY IN WORLD JUNIORS

The rosters for the 2025 World Juniors are set and the New York Islanders have four representatives in Cole Eiserman, Danny Nelson, Jesse Nurmi and Marcus Gidlöf. Eiserman and Nelson will play for Team USA, while Nurmi will suit up for Team Finland and Gidlöf for Team Sweden.

Eiserman has turned heads in his freshman campaign for BU, ranking second among rookies in goals (9) through his first 16 games of NCAA hockey. The 18-year-old forward will represent Team USA in his first World Juniors appearance, but has represented his country at the international stage, winning a gold medal at the 2023 U-18s and a silver at last year’s U-18 tournament. Eiserman also won gold at the 2023 World U-17 Hockey Challenge.

It’s the second go-around for Nelson, who won gold for Team USA in last year’s tournament and recorded a goal and an assist through seven games. The Islanders’ 2023 second-round draft pick (49^th overall) is having a solid start to his sophomore season at Notre Dame, with 13 points (8G, 5A) through 18 games. Nelson will serve as an alternate captain in this year’ s tournament.

Nurmi, the Isles 2023 fourth-round pick (113th overall) will make his first World Juniors appearance representing Finland. The 19-year-old winger made the jump from the Finnish system to the London Knights of the OHL this season and is faring well, with 16 points (4G, 12A) through his first 28 games in the Canadian Hockey League.

Gidlöf has been having a strong season between the pipes, with a record of 5-3-0 through eight games in the SHL for Leksands IF, along with a 2.07 GAA, .917 SV%. He went 7-0-0 for J20 Nationell prior to getting elevated to the top tier of professional hockey in Sweden. Also set to make his first appearance in the tourney, the 19-year-old netminder will represent Sweden.

Dec. 26

Sweden vs. Slovakia, TD Place, 12 p.m. ET

Germany vs. United States, Canadian Tire Centre, 2:30 p.m. ET

Canada vs. Finland, Canadian Tire Centre, 7:30 p.m. ET

Dec. 27

Finland vs. Germany, Canadian Tire Centre, 3:30 p.m. ET

Kazakhstan vs. Sweden, TD Place, 5 p.m. ET

Dec. 28

United States vs. Latvia, Canadian Tire Centre, 3:30 p.m. ET

Dec. 29

Sweden vs. Switzerland, TD Place, 12 p.m. ET

Finland vs. United States, Canadian Tire Centre, 2:30 p.m. ET

Dec. 31

Latvia vs. Finland, Canadian Tire Centre, 2:30 p.m. ET

Czechia vs. Sweden, TD Place, 5 p.m. ET

United States vs. Canada, Canadian Tire Centre, 7:30 p.m. ET

Jan. 2

Quarterfinal 1, TD Place, 12 p.m. ET

Quarterfinal 2, Canadian Tire Centre, 2:30 p.m. ET

Quarterfinal 3, TD Place, 5 p.m. ET

Quarterfinal 4, Canadian Tire Centre, 7:30 p.m. ET

Jan. 4 (Canadian Tire Centre)

Semifinal 1, 3:30 p.m. ET

Semifinal 2, 7:30 p.m. ET

Jan. 5 (Canadian Tire Centre)

Third-place game, 3:30 p.m. ET

Championship game, 7:30 p.m. ET

PULKKINEN SCORES THIRD OF THE YEAR

Jesse Pulkkinen is heating up offensively for the JYP of Liiga, Finland’s top professional league, with his third goal of the season on Friday.

The Islanders 2024 second-round pick (54th overall) opened the scoring and recorded three shots in Friday’s 6-5 OT loss to KooKoo, which accounted for his third goal and fourth point of the year.

The defenseman has played in the JYP system since the 2019-20 season but he's in his second full campaign in Finland's top level. Last season, the Jyvaskyla, FIN native recorded eight points (2G, 6A) through 29 games.

STATS

CHL:

Jesse Nurmi | London (OHL) | 28GP, 4G, 12A, 16P, 8PIM

Liiga:

Jesse Pulkkinen | JYP | 17GP, 3G, 1A, 4P, 6PIM

Allsvenskan:

Dennis Good Bogg | AIK | 15GP, 0G, 0A, 0P, 9PIM

Marcus Gidlöf | Leksands IF J20 (J20 Nationell) | 7-0-0, 1.43 GAA, .935 SV%, 2 SO

Marcus Gidlöf | Leksands IF (SHL) | 5-3-0, 2.07 GAA, .917 SV%, 0 SO

KHL:

Dmitry Gamzin | CSKA Moskva | 3-3-0, 2.69 GAA, .913 SV%, 2SO

Dmitry Gamzin | Zvezda Moskva (VHL) | 1-1-0, 5.51 GAA, .810% SV% 0SO

USHL:

Xavier Veilleux | Muskegon Lumberjacks | 27GP, 4G, 11A, 15P, 4PIM

NCAA:

Cameron Berg | North Dakota (NCHC) | 7GP, 4G, 4A, 8P, 8PIM

Quinn Finley | Wisconsin (Big Ten) | 18GP, 12G, 10A, 22P, 8PIM

Zachary Schulz | Wisconsin (Big Ten) | 10GP, 0G, 3A, 3P, 2PIM

Danny Nelson | Notre Dame (Big Ten) | 18GP, 8G, 5A, 13P, 10PIM

Tomas Machu | Providence College (Hockey East) | 16GP, 1G, 3A, 4P, 23PIM

Cole Eiserman | Boston Univ. (Hockey East) | 16GP, 9G, 6A, 15P, 21PIM