In this edition of New York Islanders News & Rumors, we cover Simon Holmstrom receiving a one-year contract extension and what it means for his future, an Islanders prospect not being invited to Canada's World Junior Summer Showcase (WJSS) team, and finally, the Bridgeport Islanders are rebranding.
Holmstrom Extension
Surprisingly, the Islanders announced a contract extension in mid-July. Given general manager Lou Lamoriello's reputation, this news doesn't usually break until training camp begins. However, the Islanders announced they signed forward Simon Holmstrom to a one-year contract. His new contract has an average annual salary (AAV) of $850,000. Holmstrom agreed to the extension in lieu of a qualifying offer, which would have been a two-way contract with an AAV of $874,000.
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The 23-year-old Swede appeared in 75 games last season, scoring 15 goals and 10 assists for 25 points, and appeared in 50 games the season before that, scoring six goals and three assists for nine points. In his 125 career NHL games, he has scored 21 goals and 13 assists for 38 points.
It looks like the Islanders are finally moving on from their famous checking line of Matt Martin, Cal Clutterbuck and Casey Cizikas. Though Cizikas is still under contract, the Islanders are clearly willing to give the young forward a chance to make the team. Holmstrom will have plenty of opportunities to move up the lineup this season under head coach Patrick Roy and perform like a regular NHL third lineman.
Lack of Islander representation in the WJSS
Next up, the roster for the World Junior Summer Showcase was released, and it doesn't look good, Islanders fans. That's not to say there aren't any promising players in the organization; there are. But the club seems to be lacking in Canadian-born prospects. They have players like Jesse Nurmi (Finland), Kalle Odelius (Sweden) and Jesse Pulkkinen (Finland), all of whom could represent their respective countries at the 2025 World Junior Championship.
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The Islanders seem to lack a true top prospect like Colby Barlow, Easton Cowan, Tiji Iginla, or Sam Dickinson. These types of players can be game-changing for a team, but the Islanders system lacks them. This shows that the Islanders have been an above-average team since Noah Dobson was drafted in 2018. On the other hand, it could be that the Islanders have mismanaged their first-round draft picks and are not getting top-level prospects. Going forward, the Islanders need to manage their draft capital better and replenish their top-level talent pool.
The Islanders appear to remain focused on contending for a playoff spot rather than replenishing their roster with top talent, and depending on their scouting and their success rate, they could unearth a diamond in the rough similar to what the Toronto Maple Leafs did with their seventh-round pick, now-NHL Islanders forward Pierre Engvall.
Bridgeport Islanders Rebranding
Finally, the Islanders' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Bridgeport Islanders, are rebranding. The jerseys were revealed on Twitter/X on July 11th, and appear to be making the popular alternate jersey into a full-time jersey.
The updated logo has some unique details: Bridgeport appears in block letters above the classic Islanders text. The full-time logo has been changed to the Fisherman logo, which pays homage to New York's mid-'90s Fisherman logo. The rest of the jersey remains unchanged. The colors remain royal blue, orange and gray, similar to the NHL team's color scheme.
