Ranking the New York Islanders' Top 10 Prospects Entering 2016-17

The New York Islanders have continued to emphasize the draft in recent years, even as their on-ice fortunes have trended upward. As a result, the team remains well-stocked with quality prospects even now that it is winning more NHL games. 

Not every pick has been a gem. The development of some top picks from the 2014 draft in particular stands out as a source of concern. But despite those little dips, the team's commitment to the process—along with the occasional draft-day steal—has left the Isles in good shape. 

Mileage will vary on each of the players in the team's system, but the following is our list of the 10 best Calder-eligible prospects currently with the organization. 

10. LD Devon Toews

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Acquired: Drafted 108th overall, 2014 

2015-16 Stats: 40 games, seven goals, 23 assists, 30 points (NCAA)

Projection: Toews was passed over twice at the draft before the Isles took a flyer on him late in 2014. A scouting report from the outlet Future Considerations, which had him ranked as the 208th-best prospect available in 2013, may help explain why.

“Toews is a small, quick and creative puck rusher,” the report reads. “He sees the ice well and makes strong, heady passes. He also has some untapped offensive potential. He gets knocked off the puck and outmuscled in his own end too readily.”

Toews was listed at 160 pounds when that was written three years ago. He’s added 20 pounds since then. Obviously, his primary strengths are still as a puck-moving rearguard, but Jeff Cox of SBNation’s College Hockey blog reported an interesting comment from coach Rand Pecknold which indicated he’s more than that:

"

Devon is the best defenseman in our league. I think he should be an All-American. He's been one of our best players, if not our best player, in the second half. He played a ton of minutes both nights. He's a great two-way hockey player. He's really emerged as a leader for us.

"

Toews is 22, so he shouldn’t need the same degree of minor-league seasoning that many first-year professionals do. His ultimate ceiling is difficult to forecast, but his potential as a wildcard puts him ahead of the other prospects we considered in this slot.

9. G Linus Soderstrom

Roni Rekomaa/Associated Press

Acquired: Drafted 95th overall, 2014

2015-16 Stats: 17 games, 7-10-0 record, .927 save percentage (Swe-1)

Projection: Soderstrom caught the attention of the hockey world last Christmas with a standout performance for Sweden at the World Juniors, leading the tournament with a .947 save percentage and being named best goaltender. With a 6’4” frame+, he has NHL size, and his save percentage totals have developed nicely since he was drafted in 2014.

Soderstrom has been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, and, as Dan Saraceni and Patrik Bexell of Lighthouse Hockey wrote, he has been remarkably forthcoming about the condition in interviews with the Swedish press. That has not stopped him from becoming a prospect of note in the Isles' system.

8. C Josh Ho-Sang

Acquired: Drafted 28th overall, 2014

2015-16 Stats: 66 games, 19 goals, 63 assists, 82 points (OHL)

Projection: There will be readers who see where Ho-Sang is ranked and instantly scroll down to chew out Bleacher Report for buying into the narrative about his difficult personality. Those readers would do well to wait for a moment, because while Ho-Sang’s reputation precedes him, it isn’t the primary reason he finds himself mired near the bottom of this top 10 list.

The problem is scoring.

Ho-Sang scored 32 goals in his draft year. Last season he scored 19. He scored 85 points in his draft year; last season he fell to 82. In two seasons of development, he hasn’t developed offensively, and given that scoring is the one thing he’s supposed to be really good at, it doesn’t bode well for his NHL career.

Obviously, Ho-Sang has time to turn things around, but at some point the ultra-talented point producer needs to demonstrate his talent by improving offensively.

7. LD Parker Wotherspoon

Alan Diaz/Associated Press

Acquired: Drafted 112th overall, 2015

2015-16 Stats: 71 games, 11 goals, 45 assists, 56 points (WHL)

Projection: Wotherspoon is a fascinating player, a defenseman born in late August who only made the eligibility cutoff for the 2015 draft by a matter of weeks. NHL teams have some history of underrating those players with late birthdays, because at 18 the difference of a few months can mean a great deal.

It isn’t just Wotherspoon’s age that stands out, though, it’s also his performance. Despite being undersized for his position (6’0", 172 pounds), he checks off lots of different boxes, playing a smart two-way game that includes physical play in the defensive zone and scoring ability in the offensive end of the rink.

New York liked him enough to give him an AHL tryout after his WHL season ended, and minor league coach Brent Thompson lauded Wotherspoon’s versatility to Michael Fornabaio of the Connecticut Post.

“He was poised with the puck,” Thompson said. “He made really good puck decisions. ... He had really good battle. His hockey IQ: He was ready to play. He understood where to be on the ice.”

Wotherspoon is likely a few years away, but at this point it’s reasonable to think he might have second pairing upside in the majors.

6. LW Anthony Beauvillier

Kathy Kmonicek/Associated Press

Acquired: Drafted 28th overall, 2015

2015-16 Stats: 47 games, 40 goals, 39 assists, 79 points (QMJHL)

Projection: Beauvillier is tough to project in some ways. Size was an issue on draft day, and given that he’s listed at 5’11” and 170 pounds now, it is always likely to play into evaluations of this player. Offensive totals in the ‘Q’ also tend to be regarded with more suspicion than scoring in the WHL or OHL is.

Nevertheless, there is so much to like about this player, who scored at nearly a goal-per-game pace all season and in the playoffs. In his draft year, International Scouting Services praised his competitiveness, defensive awareness and speed. Director of scouting Dennis MacInnis was particularly impressed.

“Born leader and will be catalyst for many years to come,” wrote MacInnis. “[Two]-way forward and will wear a letter on any team he plays for.”

Beauvillier’s superb scoring makes a top-six job a real possibility down the line, and his other attributes guarantee that he won’t be a one-trick pony.

5. G Ilya Sorokin

Ivan Sekretarev/Associated Press

Acquired: Drafted 78th overall, 2014

2015-16 Stats: 28 games, 17-7-4 record, .953 save percentage (KHL)

Projection: Sorokin, drafted as an overage player back in 2014, has already done much to justify the Islanders’ trust in him.

Last year he was named the best goaltender in the KHL after a jaw-dropping .953 save percentage performance; he followed that up with a .945 save percentage effort in the postseason. Ex-NHL player Viktor Fasth played for the same team and had a number 32 points lower. Sorokin followed that up by stopping all 36 shots he faced at the World Championships as Sergei Bobrovsky’s understudy.

Red Line Report absolutely loved him in the lead-up to the 2014 draft, saying in part:

"

He’s very athletic and flexible with excellent reactions, mobility and lateral quickness to complement his 6’2’’ frame. Composed all the time. Quick and aggressive, hard to beat down low. Fast legs and good balance in net. Excellent competitor never gives up on a play, battles all the time.

"

Elite Prospects reports that Sorokin is under contract in the KHL through 2017-18, but surely the Islanders will try and bring him over as quickly as possible afterward.

4. RD Ryan Pulock

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Acquired: Drafted 15th overall, 2013

2015-16 Stats: 51 games, seven goals, 17 assists, 24 points (AHL)

Projection: Pulock is nearly NHL-ready, as he showed last season. Not only did he appear in 15 regular season games, but he managed to make his way into six playoff contests for the Isles as well. He has a history of scoring goals at the junior level (he also tallied 17 in the AHL in 2014-15) and has major-league size, but the question with this player has always been his ability to play a two-way game.

According to Isles coach Jack Capuano, he’s improved markedly in that area. When the team recalled him in February, Capuano praised Pulock’s development to Cory Wright of the club’s official website:

"

He’s had a good attitude. He’s improved his game in a lot of areas that we talked about coming out of training camp. Everybody has to play without the puck. He has to play physical, he has to play down low hard. When you get to this level the difference for a defenseman is the ability to play in your own end.

"

Pulock should make the leap to the NHL full-time early next season.

3. LW Michael Dal Colle

RICH SCHULTZ/Associated Press

Acquired: Drafted fifth overall, 2014

2015-16 Stats: 60 games, 35 goals, 45 assists, 80 points (OHL)

Projection: The trouble with Dal Colle is that two years ago he was projected to be well ahead of where he is now. A midseason trade from Oshawa to Kingston seemed to help matters, with his scoring totals spiking after a disappointing start to the year, but even so his points-per-game number (1.33) for the season was lower than that posted in his draft year (1.42).

That kind of stagnation makes it easy to see why Dal Colle’s stock has fallen since draft day. He’s still a skilled goal scorer with NHL-caliber size (6’3”, 198 pounds) and speed, but the offense needs to come along if he’s going to make it in a top-six role. He is, however, only 20 years old and still has plenty of time.

2. LW Kieffer Bellows

Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

Acquired: Drafted 19th overall, 2016

2015-16 Stats: 23 games, 16 goals, 16 assists, 32 points (USHL)

Projection: Brian Bellows carved out a 17-season NHL career and scored more than 1,000 points, so it’s inevitable that his son is going to see comparisons at times. The younger Bellows told NHL.com’s Joe Yerdon back in December that he and his father had some points in common.

"Watching his games I see what he did,” Bellows said. “… I kind of see the similarities in there, but he's taught me a lot.”

Bellows plays an intelligent pro-style game, as might be expected from the son of a former NHL player. He’s also a first-shot scorer, the kind of player who combines power and accuracy to be a threat whenever he has the puck. He’ll need time, but should eventually end up in a top-six role.

1. C Mathew Barzal

Alan Diaz/Associated Press

Acquired: Drafted 16th overall, 2015

2015-16 Stats: 58 games, 27 goals, 61 assists, 88 points (WHL)

Projection: Barzal’s greatest gift is his playmaking ability, though he’s also a gifted puck-handler and excellent skater. Although undersized, he has thrived in the tough WHL, standing up to physical pressure and pushing back himself. A smart, right-shooting pivot, he should eventually play in a top-six role in the majors.

“Eventually” may not be all that far in the future, either. Assuming a strong training camp, Barzal should get at least the standard nine-game look-see in the NHL next season. The Isles have shifted to a more patient approach with their prospects in recent years, but he may force the issue.

Statistics courtesy of Elite Prospects.

Scouting reports from Red Line Report, International Scouting Services and Future Considerations (subscription required in all cases) unless otherwise noted.