NY Islanders' New Top Prospect Projects as Strong Two-Way Player

Who is the new top prospect for the New York Islanders?

Apr 12, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders head coach Peter DeBoer speaks to the media after a game against the Montreal Canadiens at UBS Arena. / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Islanders are continuing to move through the offseason, and while they still might make a couple of moves to improve, the team should be mostly set heading into next year. 

Overall, this summer is likely going to be seen as a bit of a disappointment for the franchise. The Islanders didn’t do much to improve in either free agency or the trade market, and seeing their captain Anders Lee leave in free agency was a tough pill to swallow. 

However, New York is a group that is focused on improving for the future and creating long-term success on Long Island. In order to do that, general manager Mathieu Darche is trying to establish cap flexibility for the future to go along with a strong prospect pool. 

Fortunately, with some good drafting and development of late, the Islanders do have some players that could be making an impact in the NHL soon. While some are further than others in their development, New York will be hoping to see a lot of these young guys making an impact soon. 

Scott Wheeler of The Athletic (subscription required) recently ranked the Top 100 prospects in the NHL. For the Islanders, they had five players make the list, led by Malte Gustafsson coming in at 34th overall. 

High Rating for Gustafsson is Encouraging

Jun 26, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Malte Gustafsson reacts beside NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and New York Islanders player Matthew Schaefer after being selected with the thirteenth pick in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft by the Islanders at KeyBank Center. / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With five players making the top 100 for New York, their prospect pool is clearly a strong one. While the team might not have a prospect in the top 25, they do have four in the top 50. 

Of the players ranked, it is their recently selected defenseman who leads the way at 34th overall. Considering he was the 13th player taken in the 2026 NHL Draft, it is good to see him ranked well. 

While he is still very young, there is a lot to like about his game. At 6’5”, he presents a massive frame on the blueline and is projected to be a really strong defender. 

Even though he might not have the offensive skill to be a power play player for the Islanders, this is a team that is hoping to have Matthew Schaefer around for a long time handling that responsibility. 

In terms of playing five-on-five, that is where Gustafsson should shine as a very capable two-way player. Overall, as the new number one prospect in the system, his development will be something to keep an eye on.