James Nichols
There are big changes happening for the New York Islanders. The main focus is their new head coach, but they’re also considering recalling their top prospect.
While addressing the Islanders media regarding the firing of Patrick Roy and hiring of Peter Deboer, general manager Mathieu Darche didn’t rule out recalling top prospect Victor Eklund.
“We’re looking at everything,” Darche said. “Every day we want to put the best roster we have [on the ice].”
Eklund was reassigned by the Islanders from Djurgardens of the SHL to the Bridgeport Islanders of the American Hockey League on March 26th, as soon as his season was over in Sweden. Since then, he’s tallied six assists in four games, showing standout offensive creativity.
“It was really fun,” Eklund said. “I wanted to play as soon as I could because I was super excited.”
Eklund’s short sample of AHL success comes off the back of a solid SHL season in which he netted six goals and 24 points in 43 games as a 19-year-old.
Now, the Islanders have their backs against the wall after falling out of playoff position as the result of a four-game slide and a 3-7-0 record in their last 10 games.
Thus, Roy is out, and Deboer is in, as Darche wasn’t going to allow a season in which he bought Brayden Schenn at the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline go to waste.
The Islanders sit a point out of playoff position with 89 after the Philadelphia Flyers lept them on Sunday. The Flyers have a game in hand on the Islanders, so Darche and Co., and icing Eklund with four games left in the season and the Stanley Cup Playoffs on the line would speak volumes on the belief the Islanders organization has on Eklund.
The Islanders drafted Eklund in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft with the first of back-to-back selections they received from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Noah Dobson.
