The Islanders are in a spot plenty of teams would love to be: young talent is starting to push through, and the organization doesn’t have to tear everything down to build something new. Matthew Schaefer and Calum Ritchie already gave that idea some real shape last season. Now the next name in that conversation looks like Cole Eiserman.
Eiserman was the Islanders’ first-round pick in 2024, a big swing at a time when the club didn’t exactly have a stack of premium picks or blue-chip prospects. The 19-year-old was supposed to help change that picture, and so far he’s done exactly what you’d want from a player with that kind of upside. The Islanders didn’t just add a talented forward to the pipeline; they added someone who could become a star.
The numbers back up the buzz. Eiserman scored 18 goals and posted 28 points in 32 games at Boston University last season.
He then added two goals and nine points in 12 AHL games with the Bridgeport Islanders. That kind of production is the sort of thing that makes you start thinking about what an NHL debut could look like.
If Eiserman does arrive and make an immediate impression, the comparison to Schaefer isn’t about position - it’s about responsibility. Schaefer earned trust fast, and the Islanders weren’t shy about giving him meaningful minutes, including late-game situations. He worked his way into a top-pairing role because the team kept putting him on the ice and letting him learn on the fly.
That’s the blueprint Eiserman needs, too.
The Islanders can’t afford to bring him up just to hide him. If he’s playing fewer than 10 minutes a night in a fourth-line role, he’d be better off getting regular top-six minutes in the AHL. That’s the danger with talented young players: teams sometimes call them up, then bury them in the lineup where they can’t actually grow.
A middle-six spot would make a lot more sense. A third line with JG Pageau and Simon Holmstrom, for example, could give Eiserman a real chance to settle in and build confidence.
And if things go well, DeBoer could keep moving him up as needed. It wouldn’t be hard to imagine him eventually sliding onto a second line with Mathew Barzal and Calum Ritchie, where the speed and skill would make for a dangerous combination.
There should be opportunities available. Ondrej Palat and Anthony Duclair could see their ice time drop significantly, and even if Eiserman isn’t on the opening-night roster, the Islanders may not have to wait long. One injury could be enough to open the door and give them a look at what he can do.
In Other News...
Islanders Just Sent A Strong Message About Barzal And Horvat
The trade chatter around the Islanders has been pretty straightforward: other teams have checked on Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat, and the answer has been no. That kind of response matters in a league where even established centers can become available if a front office is willing to listen, and it says plenty about how New York views the two players at the heart of its forward group.
For the Islanders, holding firm on Barzal and Horvat is as much about message as it is about roster construction. It tells the rest of the league that the club is not looking to strip down its core, even as the rumor mill keeps spinning around other Eastern Conference names and front offices wait on their own unresolved situations. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Forwards Carry One Massive Burden Into Next Season
The Islanders late-season fade last year was about more than just a cold stretch, and the forward group is now carrying most of the weight for what comes next. With the club projected to sit above $101 million against the cap, a huge chunk of that money is tied up in the forwards, and the pressure lands squarely on the biggest names in the room, from Mathew Barzal to Bo Horvat to Ondrej Palat.
That makes the composition of the top nine especially important as training camp approaches. Horvat, Emil Heineman, Kyle Palmieri, Barzal and Matias Maccelli are all expected to factor into the lineup in meaningful ways, with some coming off injuries and others fighting to carve out larger roles, so the Islanders are not just trying to score more - they are trying to make sure the expensive parts of the roster actually fit together. [Read more 🡒]