Islanders Development Camp College Recap

Jul 3

Image Courtesy: NHL.com/New York Islanders

Reviewing all college players attending the Isles’ development camp and expectations for next year

The New York Islanders held their Blue and White Scrimmage this week, the first one the Isles have hosted publicly in a number of years. This event sees college players and other NHL prospects participate in a four-on-four, two-period scrimmage at the Northwell Health Ice Center. With General Manager Mathieu Darche and Head Coach Patrick Roy both in attendance (sitting right behind me in the bleachers, but I digress), each player was given a chance to impress their future organization, or for most, a chance to leave an impression on a potential employer after going undrafted.

Islanders prospects from around the hockey world came together in East Meadow to produce an electric factory of a prospect showcase, and here’s who I got the chance to see returning to the NCAA or entering the college system this year.

Image Courtesy: Boston University Athletics

Danny nelson - Notre dame (C)

Nelson lives up to his namesake on Long Island (Brock Nelson) with his excellent skills in driving through the center of the ice and defenders, unafraid to take shots when given the opportunity. His second-round selection in 2o23 spoke not entirely to his skill, but his place in what was a struggling Irish team. After 26 points in 36 games in his freshman season, entering a massive development year under new head coach Brock Sheahan, Nelson has the opportunity to separate himself from his last name and prove himself to current Islanders’ captain, and Irish alumnus, Anders Lee.

KAMIL BEDNARIK - BOSTON UNIVERSITY (c)

After a full season with fellow Islanders’ 2024 draftee in Boston, Cole Eiserman (just one round later!), Bednarik has an opportunity to make a massive jump like his linemate. With 19 points in his freshman season in a razor-sharp Hockey East, there is and always will be an opportunity for players like Bednarik to improve their skills before advocating their spot in the big league. His defensive skill, including 29 blocked shots across the Terriers’ national runner-up season, served Jay Pandolfo’s side well from the bottom six. However, his offensive skills will need to improve dramatically across the next seasons to earn an NHL contract.

Sam Laurila - North Dakota (D)

Laurila, a 2025 fifth-round selection, is built and plays similarly to his predecessor in this story, Xavier Veilleux, but plays in a much different environment. Sticking around in the same state after finishing this year with the USHL’s Fargo Force, Laurila looks to write his name amongst the growing list of Fighting Hawks’ defensemen alongside Jake Sanderson and James Patrick. The first step is bringing the Hawks back to Frozen Four and championship glory, something new head coach Dane Jackson already has a taste of from his years as an assistant in Grand Forks.

Image Courtesy: Taylor Wolfram/Wisconsin Athletics

TOMAS MACHU - PROVIDENCE (D)

While Machu’s 6’4 NHL-style frame is something you can never teach, his discipline in his freshman season with the Friars needs to be cleaned up, especially in such a competitive conference. His sixth-round selection in 2o21 recognizes his physical skill and hustle, but the Czech needs to improve his puck-moving abilities or create another standout trait because unlike in decades past, physicality alone cannot win games in the modern NHL. The Hockey East is a perfect place to nurture offensive skill, and Machu’s sophomore results will be telling of his future on Long Island.

Image Courtesy: University of Maine Athletics

DANICK LEROUX - HOLY CROSS (G)

With Thomas Gale gone for Bill Riga’s crusaders, Leroux has an opportunity to prove he can shine on bright stages, earning starting minutes as a freshman goaltender. With two goaltenders who didn’t see much action with the AHA Goaltender of the Year in net in Worcester, the room will be hyper-competitive for the starting or even 1A and 1B spots. Earning any position for Leroux is aided by his 6’2 frame, but the undrafted 19-year-old has yet to prove himself in any game action in the collegiate level. While his stellar season with the NAHL’s Rochester Jr. Americans put him in this position, there’s only one way to keep it in goal: win.

Cole Eiserman - Boston University (w)

One of the Isles’ top NCAA prospects and a 2024 first-round selection, there isn’t much more to say about the Terrier’s rising sophomore that hasn’t been said already. What he may lack in defensive skill is more than made up for in speed and stick handling. His shot is borderline world-class for this stage in his career, and with his speed and shoot-first mindset he fits perfectly into Darche’s vision of a size and speed-centered future in Elmont.

Watch him. His game speaks for itself.

Image Courtesy: John Mersits / USA TODAY NETWORK

quinn finley - wisconsin (w)

As my good friend Jacob Cheris put it earlier in this past college season, Wisconsin was, to a degree, “The Quinn Finley Show.” The Badgers struggled at the beginning of this year before finding their stride towards the end. Yet Finley excelled offensively the entire season, splitting his 40 points in 37 games evenly between goals and assists. Entering his junior season in Madison, he may need to improve his defensive skills with his current set fitting him to New York’s third line and finishing with a respectable -2 rating on the wing, the NCAA and especially the Big Ten will make sure each player sees their fair share of skill from the other side of the ice.

XAVIER VEILLEUX - CORNELL (D)

Veilleux’s 6’1 frame will serve him well in his freshman season across the ever-physical ECAC Hockey conference. The 2024 sixth-round selection starts his freshman season in Ithaca after a stellar campaign with the USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks, posting 41 points in 61 games and a stellar +24 rating. Unfortunately for him, though, his performance can be judged by some on how well he fills Dalton Bancroft’s place on the blue line. Developing into a Ryan Pulock-like two-way defenseman will likely give him the best chance to succeed in blue and orange, but as all prospects will come to realize, the Islanders’ defensive corps is one of the toughest in the league to break into.

Image Courtesy: Rena Laverty/USA Hockey’s NTDP

ZACH SCHULZ - WISCONSIN (d)

Schulz, a 2023 sixth-round selection in New York, is another prospect with quite a bit to prove to the team that selected him and fellow Badger Quinn Finley. While he’s blocking nearly a shot per game, Schulz will need to play more than 28 games for a resurging Badgers team to earn more serious looks this season. On a blue line featuring Senators’ first-round selection Logan Hensler, Schulz’s strong defensive core and skill must shine to stand out in the star-powered Big Ten, as it only becomes more competitive with NIL spending and CHL recruiting.

BRANDON CHABRIER - MAINE (d)

Chabrier’s undrafted status didn’t stop an invite to development camp, and it certainly helped being from Bayville, New York, a well-known town for many Long Islanders. While his ratings have stayed positive through three seasons at Maine, his lack of goal-scoring is a bit concerning, with just seven goals through three seasons in Orono. He has an average frame, so look for him to focus on improving his stick-handling and presence to produce more offensively while keeping his hustle strong in a competitive conference on the defensive end. It also helps that he scored a disgusting coast-to-coast goal in the scrimmage for his presence across the internet, but I digress.

REID DYCK - COLGATE (g)

Undrafted goaltenders face some of the toughest odds to make it to the NHL of all players, but Dyck has an opportunity most who came before him never could capture. As a part of the CHL’s first class of players in the NCAA, his struggles with the WHL’s Swift Current Broncos could be pushed aside as a minor blip if his rebound control and 6’4 frame can combine with improved post-to-post speed and puck play. The Bruins’ (yes, you read that right) 2022 sixth-rounder has no choice but to be a thorn in starting goaltender Andrew Tackas’ side. Stealing a win against fellow conference favorites Quinnipiac or Cornell would define his season and aid his journey to a professional contract tremendously.