Top prospects for New York Islanders

NHL.com is providing in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, the top five prospects for the New York Islanders, according to NHL.com.

1. William Dufour, F

How acquired:Selected with No. 152 pick in 2020 NHL Draft

2022-23 season:New York (NHL): 1 GP, 0-0-0; Bridgeport (AHL): 69 GP, 21-27-48

The 21-year-old made his NHL debut Jan. 18, when he was minus-2 in 6:48 of ice time and benched for the final 29 minutes of a 4-1 loss to the Boston Bruins.

Dufour (6-foot-2, 215 pounds) was then returned to the American Hockey League. It's likely he'll start there and be considered for an early call-up.

"He's got areas that he needs to improve, but there's a lot of potential," Bridgeport coach Rick Kowalsky said. "He has to work on his quickness, his intensity, and his heaviness on the puck at times. Hopefully he gives himself an opportunity to stick [in the NHL], and if he doesn't, he should certainly be a top player for us."

Projected NHL arrival:This season

2. Matthew Maggio, F

How acquired:Selected with No. 142 pick in 2022 NHL Draft

2022-23 season: Bridgeport (AHL): 3 GP, 0-2-2; Windsor (OHL): 66 GP, 54-57-111

The 20-year-old was Windsor's captain, MVP of the Ontario Hockey League and finished in the AHL after signing a three-year, entry-level contract May 1.

Maggio (5-11, 185) begins his first full pro season. He ended his junior hockey career with 217 points (99 goals, 118 assists) in 212 OHL games for Windsor and Ottawa.

"No matter how good of a year they have in junior, [or] college, you're coming in, you're playing against men," Kowalsky said. "But his speed, his ability to score, things I saw in training camp, he wants the puck, he knows where to go on the ice, and he works to get there."

Projected NHL arrival:Next season

3. Samuel Bolduc, D

How acquired:Selected with No. 57 pick in 2019 NHL Draft

2022-23 season:New York (NHL): 17 GP, 2-1-3; Bridgeport (AHL): 56 GP, 10-25-35

The 22-year-old signed a two-year contract June 20. Though Bolduc (6-4, 220) struggled in two Stanley Cup Playoff games in place of the injured Alexander Romanov, his confidence grew during his third AHL season.

"I think that he hit the ground running," Islanders assistant general manager Chris Lamoriello said. "He also knew that some of the stress he went through wasn't necessarily anything he did or anybody else did wrong. It's just part of what happens sometimes in hockey, and that's where he showed maturity and really handled it well."

Projected NHL arrival: This season

4. Ruslan Iskhakov, F

How acquired:Selected with No. 43 pick in 2018 NHL Draft

2022-23 season:Bridgeport (AHL): 69 GP, 17-34-51

Before Iskhakov (5-9, 165) played his first professional season in North America, the Moscow native had 42 points (15 goals, 27 assists) in two seasons at the University of Connecticut from 2018-20, then played for TPS in Liiga (Finland) in 2020-21 and for Mannheim in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (Germany) in 2021-22. An injury sustained during a scrimmage prevented him from competing in the 2022-23 preseason, but a strong showing at training camp could earn the 23-year-old a shot in the NHL.

"You look at his statistics and I think it's evident, his talents, and they're not just on the power play, they're 5-on-5," Lamoriello said. "One of the things that is so impressive about him is his attitude. He comes to the rink every day with a smile on his face, great enthusiasm, great energy. Now it's just acquiring all those other things that a National Hockey League player needs to be able to do to play 82 games and a seven-game series."

Projected NHL arrival:This season

5. Quinn Finley, F

How acquired:Selected with No. 78 pick in 2022 NHL Draft

2022-23 season:Madison (USHL): 23 GP, 10-17-27; Chicago (USHL): 32 GP, 12-23-38

The 18-year-old had a goal and an assist in four games at the 2023 World Junior Summer Showcase and is committed to the University of Wisconsin this season. Finley (5-11, 168) grew up watching Islanders captain Anders Lee and models his game after Kyle Connor (Winnipeg Jets) and Jonathan Huberdeau (Calgary Flames).

"Certainly, a great example with Anders and some of the other mentions as far as maybe how he fits in and the expectation of what he can do offensively," Lamoriello said. "I don't know if we have anything other than experience for him, continued growth off the ice."

Projected NHL arrival:2026-27