Arnold: Oliver Wahlstrom Deserves Chance on Islanders Third Line | NYHN+

The New York Islanders have a few open spots to fill on the third line for 2020-21, and with the news that Derick Brassard won’t be returning for a second season on Long Island now would be the time to give Oliver Wahlstrom a chance there.

Wahlstrom isn’t the only option the Islanders have, in fact, they have a few veterans that one could argue should take the spot. Michael Dal Colle for instance has developed into a solid bottom-six forward and he did end up playing a majority of the 2019-20 season with the Islanders.

Veteran forward Leo Komarov is still in the mix as well, although that could change before training camp as the Islanders sort out their cap issues.

While the two aforementioned players carry a wealth of experience with them, Oliver Wahlstrom addresses an issue that bogged the Islanders down at various times last year. And that was their ability to score goals.

Part of Wahlstrom’s pedigree is that he is a goal scorer and this season he may be in the best shape of anyone entering training camp. Wahlstrom has spent part of the offseason playing overseas in Europe.

In a 10 game stint with AIK in Sweeden Wahlstrom had four goals and eight points in 10 games. He is one of only a few Islanders prospects that were loaned overseas to continue their development while the league pieced together a plan for the 2020-21 season.

Wahlstrom appeared in nine games with the Islanders at the start of last year before being sent down to the AHL. He progressed a lot over his 45 games with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

The 20-year-old was riding a four-game point streak when the AHL season was paused because of COVID-19 and he had eight points (five goals, three assists) over the final 12 games for Bridgeport.

“Early in the year there was a lot of turnovers and swings,” Sound Tigers coach Brent Thompson said. “He can handle the physical goings so he used his body a little bit more later in the year.”

Sufficit to say, Oliver Wahlstrom has come a long way since that first stint with the Islanders early last year.

Barry Trotz and Lou Lamoriello tend to lean towards more veteran players in their lineup. It’s been their modus operandi, but for the Islanders and Wahlstrom, giving him a shot to continue to develop alongside the likes of Jean-Gabriel Pageau would benefit everyone.

Pageau had 11 points (eight goals, three assists) in 22 playoff games with the Islanders last season, so imagine how much the centerman would benefit from having an offensively gifted player like Wahlstrom on his wing. And for Wahlstrom to be able to learn from Pageau and whichever veteran that the Islanders decide to place on that line as well, that is an invaluable experience.

Training camp begins in just a few days and from their roster spots will be sorted out over the 10 days before the season starts. Hopefully, Wahlstrom finds himself as part of the Islanders’ third line when all is said and done.