Islanders' prospects building experience with AHL Bridgeport that can help pro team in future
Prospect Cole Eiserman takes part in practice during the Islanders' 2025 Development Camp at Northwell Health Ice Center at Eisenhower Park on June 30, 2025 in East Meadow. Credit: Getty Images/Bruce Bennett
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — There’s the immediate focus for the Islanders’ Bridgeport AHL affiliate to win Thursday night’s Game 2 of its best-of-three first-round playoff series in Hershey, Pennsylvania to keep its season alive.
But there’s a concurrent objective for the organization’s higher-end prospects with NHL aspirations: The longer the postseason run, the more experience gained that can be beneficial for this summer’s prospect development camp, September’s rookie camp and the Islanders’ main training camp, which will be their first under coach Pete DeBoer.
“For me, I think it’s huge. It’s why I made the decision [to turn pro],” said sharpshooting wing Cole Eiserman, the 20th overall pick in 2024 who signed his entry-level contract on March 18 following his sophomore season at Boston University and made his debut for Bridgeport three days later.
“I wanted to play these pro games. I wanted to make mistakes. I wanted to learn. I wanted to know all the things I need to get better at if I want to play at the next level. I’m very fortunate to be here and learn.”
Eiserman’s squad lost Game 1 to visiting Hershey 2-0 on Tuesday night at Total Mortgage Arena and with the team moving to Hamilton, Ontario next season, it could have been the Islanders’ Connecticut swan song. Game 3, if necessary, is in Bridgeport on Saturday.
In addition to Eiserman, who had two goals and seven assists in 12 AHL regular-season games, Bridgeport’s roster includes wing Victor Eklund, the 16th overall pick in June, center Cal Ritchie, who had 13 goals and 17 assists in 65 NHL games as an Islanders’ rookie, and defenseman Isaiah George, a strong possibility to play among the Islanders’ top six next season. Forwards Liam Foudy, Daylan Kuefler, Adam Beckman and defensemen Travis Mitchell, Cole McWard and Laurel Hollow’s Marshall Warren are also among those who could push for spots on the NHL roster.
Bridgeport coach Rocky Thompson was asked for some specific scouting reports following Tuesday’s game:
On Eiserman: “I thought as the game went on, he started to play more of a grinding kind of game. I thought he was a little bit risky in the first couple of shifts but he settled down and he started to play stronger along the boards. When he was in on the forecheck, he knocked some guys down.”
On Eklund: “I think he played hard. I thought he was forechecking well, too. He made impacts on guys that were much bigger than him and separated the men from the puck.”
On Ritchie: “I thought there were some opportunities he could have shot the puck a little bit earlier in the game and I thought he was trying to make an extra play. He just needs to shoot the puck a little bit more at times.”
The 5-11, 170-pound Eklund had three goals and seven assists in nine AHL regular-season games after joining the organization following his Swedish Hockey League season with Djurgardens IF. He made his NHL debut with an assist in the Islanders’ season-ending 2-1 loss to the Hurricanes at UBS Arena on April 14.
“It’s a big difference from the playoffs and the regular season,” Eklund said. “You’ve got to keep your head up all the time. It’s a whole different game so I’m just trying to adapt to that, too.”
Eklund is also adjusting to the smaller rinks and increased physicality of the North American game.
Not that he minds.
“Yeah, I think it suits me, honestly,” Eklund said. “I love when it’s physical out there. It just makes me get more energy.”
A big part of the 6-foot, 201-pound Eiserman’s adjustment to pro hockey is developing his two-way game and getting stronger on the forecheck along with finding time and space to launch his blistering shots on net.
“If I want to play for the next 20 years I’ve got to do it and I’ve got to be really good at it and I know that mentally,” Eiserman said of improving defensively.
“You’ve got to perfect, honestly perfect,” Eiserman added of the overall adjustment to pro hockey. “It comes down to all the little details. You’ve really got to make sure you don’t mess up and make mistakes because it will cost you.”
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
More Islanders
