The Islanders’ prospect group is arriving at Rookie Camp looking a little harder to handle.
For a lot of these players, this is the first step into professional hockey in North America, and that jump asks plenty of them before they even touch the puck. The game gets faster, heavier and more demanding, which is why the work away from the rink matters just as much as what happens on it.
Two names stand out right away: Victor Eklund and Daniil Prokhorov.
Prokhorov, who was listed at 219 pounds last season, is up to 234 pounds at Rookie Camp. Eklund has also added noticeable bulk, going from 161 pounds last season to 175 pounds now.
At 6-foot-5, Prokhorov was already a tough matchup. Now, with another 15 pounds on his frame, he looks even more built for the kind of battles that happen in the corners and right in front of the net, where he does most of his damage.
Eklund came into the organization with size questions attached to his name. The Islanders took him 16th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, and at 5-foot-11, there were concerns about whether his body would hold up to NHL punishment.
But size has never meant he avoids contact. He goes after loose pucks against bigger opponents and isn’t afraid to mix it up.
The added weight should only help him win more of those battles instead of just making life difficult for the other team.
“It doesn’t feel like I had a few days off,” Eklund said of his summer. “I’ve been working hard. So, yeah, I’m excited to show off what I’ve been working on.”
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