Cole Eiserman is starting to get a clearer read on what his game looks like against NHL competition, and that’s exactly the kind of early feedback the New York Islanders prospect wanted.
After the Islanders dropped a 2-1 preseason game to the New Jersey Devils, Eiserman said the chance to face NHL players and goaltenders has already shown him where his shot can translate at the next level. For a player known for his goal-scoring touch, that matchup matters.
“It’s a league I want to be in,” Eiserman said. “I definitely got to shoot against those guys to, you know, play in this league.”
He described NHL goaltenders as a different kind of obstacle, citing their size and calmness in the crease. One chance in particular stood out to him, a quick pass that put the puck right into his preferred shooting area.
“It was kind of right in my wheelhouse a little bit,” Eiserman said. “So it was good.”
The Islanders even highlighted the moment with a social post showing the finish.
Beyond the shot itself, Eiserman said the bigger benefit has been the growing comfort he feels with the pace of pro hockey. After moving from the NCAA to Bridgeport, he said the speed initially took some adjustment, but that part of the process is easing up now.
“I feel really confident out there,” Eiserman said. “I definitely feel like the game slowed down a little bit than it did in Bridgeport.”
He said he’s also getting better at reading where he needs to be on the ice and finding the right spots to lean into his offensive game. Being around NHL players, he added, has helped make that learning curve smoother.
“I think I’m figuring out my game a lot more and in the right spots a lot more,” Eiserman said. “So it makes the game better.”
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Palmieris road back was anything but routine, with rehabilitation that required him to spend long stretches in the water and keep grinding through the winter months. The Islanders can now begin to see the benefits of that patience, even if there is still more work ahead before everything feels fully normal again. For Palmieri, simply being around teammates and back in a team setting has already been a meaningful step after a brutal stretch away from the rink. [Read more 🡒]