NY Islanders Prospect Compared to Flyers Star Travis Konecny

Which prospect for the New York Islanders received a comparison to Travis Konecny?

May 4, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Philadelphia Flyers right wing Travis Konecny (11) takes a shot against the Carolina Hurricanes in the first overtime in game two of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As the New York Islanders start to prepare for next season, the team will be hoping to be a bit better and contend for a playoff spot once again. 

With a new regime taking over and starting to make their moves to improve the team, the Islanders have seen a number of changes over the last couple of years. 

New general manager Mathieu Darche may have been a bit overly aggressive at the trade deadline last year, but he is focused on clearing the salary cap for next summer and building sustained success for the future. 

With long-term success being the goal, having a strong prospect pool for the team is going to be key. The Islanders have been doing a good job of late at both drafting and developing their young talent, and that could result in good hockey for New York for years to come. 

While Matthew Schaefer gets a lot of the attention after his ridiculous rookie season, there are other young prospects who are on the way that should have the ability to help out as well. 

Scott Wheeler of The Athletic (subscription required) recently wrote about the talented prospect for the Islanders, Victor Eklund, and compared him to Philadelphia Flyers winger Travis Konecny. 

Eklund Has Great Potential 

Jun 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Victor Eklund is selected as the 16th overall pick to the New York Islanders in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft at Peacock Theater. / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With developing their prospects being a major goal for the team, Eklund is going to be a prospect to keep an eye on for New York going forward. Last year, the 19-year-old spent the end of the year with the Islanders in the NHL, and also made his debut at the end of the season.

In nine games in the AHL, he was able to total 10 points, and in his NHL debut, he recorded an assist. It will be interesting to see what the plan is going to be for Eklund heading into the 2026-27 campaign. 

While he is still a very young player, there is a lot of potential, and the Islanders seemingly could have some playing time for him on the right side. However, with limited experience in the AHL and NHL, it might make sense not to rush him. 

Furthermore, with the comparison to Konecny, the Islanders would be very happy if their young winger develops into that caliber of player. Last year, Konecny totaled 68 points with 27 goals and 41 assists. As a multiple-time 30-goal scorer, Eklund reaching that mark would provide the Islanders with a massive boost.