Gidlof was the 147th overall pick by the Islanders in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft on Saturday.
It's not a stretch to say that size is an important attribute for most NHL clubs when evaluating goaltenders, and at 6-foot-6, they don't get much bigger than Gidlof. Not only is he massive in the net, but he also plays big. He cuts down angles well and gives opposing shooters very little to aim for. There are some consistency issues to work through, which is commonplace for most young netminders, but Gidlof has a boatload of long-term potential for the Islanders.
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Islanders' Jesse Pulkkinen: Upside play for Isles in Round 2
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Pulkkinen was the 54th overall pick by the Islanders in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft on Saturday.
On the strength of notable advancements in his offensive game, Pulkkinen, who was passed over in the 2023 draft, showed enough promise this past season to make himself a second-round selection just a year later. For starters, Pulkkinen is massive. At 6-foot-6, he's not a true bruiser, but is excellent at using his long reach to break up plays. His puck handling abilities have really improved, and he has the big point shot you often associate with rearguards this size. Set to turn 20 years of age in December, Pulkkinen is nearly two years older than some of the first-year eligible players in this draft and that has to be taken into consideration, but the fact the Islanders were willing to pull the trigger on him at this stage suggests they're more than content at where is development is at heading into the 2024-25 campaign.
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Islanders' Cole Eiserman: Slips all the way to 20th
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Eiserman was the 20th overall pick by the Islanders at the 2024 NHL Entry Draft on Friday.
Eiserman is one of the best scorers in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, maybe even the best. And he's definitely the top power-play threat in this class. The guy scores with ease and without warning, from every area of the ice -- he scored more than a goal-per-game (127 in 119 games) in the US National Development Team Program (NDTP). The rest of Eiserman's game is the question, and it's why he dropped from the top of this draft class to 20th. He's a strong skater, but a disappearing defender, and his play away from the puck often looks like it's a chore. Still, he plays hard and with a bit of coaching, Eiserman could be the guy that the Isles PP1 flows through. He doesn't need to drive plays; he simply needs someone to feed him the puck. Worst case, he's a second-line goal scorer. Eiserman is off to Boston U in September.
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Islanders' Kyle MacLean: Inks three-year deal
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MacLean signed a three-year contract with the Islanders on Wednesday.
New York didn't release the financial details of the deal, but CapFriendly later reported that MacLean will carry a $775,000 cap hit. The 25-year-old had four goals, nine points, 11 PIM and 60 hits in 32 regular-season outings with the Islanders in 2023-24. He also collected six goals, 22 points and 32 PIM in 43 regular-season appearances with AHL Bridgeport, though the one-way nature of this deal suggests he is likely to stick at the NHL level.
Nurmi signed an entry-level contract with the Islanders on Monday, per PuckPedia.
Nurmi played with KooKoo in Finland's Liiga last season, earning two assists over 19 appearances. He also had five points over 10 contests in international play and eight points in six games with KooKoo's under-20 team. Selected 113th overall in 2023, Nurmi's game likely still needs some refinement, whether that's in his native Finland or in the AHL.
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Islanders' Maxim Tsyplakov: Inks one-year deal
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Tsyplakov signed a one-year, entry-level contract with the Islanders on Thursday.
Tsyplakov had 31 goals and 47 points in 63 regular-season contests with the KHL's Moscow Spartak in 2023-24. The 25-year-old also contributed two goals and four points across 12 KHL playoff appearances this year. Tsyplakov should enter training camp with a serious shot of making the Islanders' roster.
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Islanders' Marcus Hogberg: Inks two-year deal
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Hogberg signed a two-year contract with the Islanders on Tuesday.
Hogberg had a solid season in the SHL, logging a .914 save percentage and a 2.51 goals against average in 40 appearances. The 29-year-old will look to regain his touch in the NHL after spending three years in the SHL. He will attempt to make the roster come October and could even be the team's backup netminder should Semyon Varlamov or Ilya Sorokin not return to the fold.
Martin (lower body) is expected to undergo an MRI in the coming days, Andrew Gross of Newsday reports Friday.
Martin was sidelined for the final two postseason contests due to his lower-body issue. Unless the MRI results come back with something more serious, the team may not provide much of an update heading into the offseason. Even if there is a long-term concern that carries into the 2024-25 campaign, Martin's lack of offensive upside means a potential absence is unlikely to impact the majority of fantasy players.
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Islanders' Scott Mayfield: Expects to be ready for 2024-25
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Mayfield, who suffered a fractured ankle in the 2023-24 season opener, should be ready for the 2024-25 campaign, Andrew Gross of Newsday reports Friday.
Mayfield told reporters that his ankle injury never fully healed, which forced him to undergo surgery in February. Despite his ankle problem, the veteran blueliner still appeared in 41 games this year, recording five assists, 70 hits and 36 shots over that span.
Islanders' Mathew Barzal: Snags two helpers in loss
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Barzal notched a pair of assists in a 6-3 Game 5 loss to the Hurricanes on Tuesday.
Barzal put up decent numbers in the postseason, recording two goals and three assists in five games. Still, it wasn't enough to get the Isles past Carolina. During the regular season, the 26-year-old Barzal averaged a point per game, a scoring rate he hadn't achieved since the 2017-18 campaign when he was a rookie.
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Islanders' Ryan Pulock: Bags two apples
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Pulock registered a pair of assists in Tuesday's 6-3 Game 5 loss to the Hurricanes.
Pulock will end his 2023-24 campaign stuck in a 15-game goal drought dating back to March 28 versus the Panthers. Still, the blueliner chipped in with seven helpers over that stretch, including a pair with the man advantage. During the regular season, Pulock saw action in 58 games, coming just one point shy of reaching the 20-point threshold for the third consecutive season.
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Islanders' Brock Nelson: Two points in Game 5 loss
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Nelson scored an even-strength goal and added a power-play assist Tuesday in a 6-3 loss to the Hurricanes in Game 5.
The 32-year-old center did his best to keep his team alive in an elimination game, but the Isles simply didn't have the firepower to keep up with Carolina. Nelson picked up two goals and four points in five postseason contests after supplying 34 goals and 69 points in the regular season, his third straight campaign with 30-plus goals. He has one more season left on his current contract with a $6 million AAV, but there's just $4 million in salary left on Nelson's deal.
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Islanders' Semyon Varlamov: Blown away by Carolina
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Varlamov turned aside 32 of 37 shots Tuesday in a 6-3 loss to the Hurricanes in Game 5 of the Islanders' first-round series, with Carolina's final goal getting scored into an empty net.
With their season on the line, the Isles came out flat and were down 2-0 before the four-minute mark in the first period. While Varlamov played well enough to allow his team to rally and tie things up by the second intermission, the third period belonged to Carolina. The veteran netminder posted a 2.70 GAA and .914 save percentage in his five playoff appearances, numbers very similar to his 2.60 GAA and .918 save percentage during the regular season. Barring a trade, he'll return to man the crease in Long Island in 2024-25 alongside Ilya Sorokin.
Islanders' Semyon Varlamov: Gets starting nod for Tuesday
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Varlamov will be between the road pipes for Game 5 against the Hurricanes on Tuesday, Andrew Gross of Newsday reports.
As expected, Varlamov gets the nod after having put together a strong showing in Game 4. He stopped 42 of 44 shots on net in that must-win contest. At this point, the 36-year-old Varlamov figures to continue trying to stave off elimination for the Islanders for as long as he can.
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Islanders' Matt Martin: Unavailable for Game 5
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Martin (lower body) won't play in Game 5 against the Hurricanes on Tuesday, according to Andrew Gross of Newsday.
Martin, who didn't practice Monday, will miss his second straight contest. He has been credited with two shots on goal, three blocked shots, seven hits and 16 PIM in three outings this postseason. Simon Holmstrom or Ruslan Iskhakov will replace Martin in the lineup for Game 5.
