New York Islanders: 2 Breakout Candidates For Next Season

With each season that passes, it seems as though every team has players who improve significantly. They often turn out to be prospects naturally, but players who have some experience in the league also can. In this segment, we will be looking at two potential breakout candidates from each team. We will also be setting a max age limit of 26 years old, so older players are not eligible for discussion.

For this one, let's discuss the New York Islanders. This is a team who fans should pay close attention to this season. They have made it to the Conference Finals in two straight years and were one win away from the making the Stanley Cup Final this past season. With the changes they have made this off-season, they are hoping these two players can blossom into even better players moving forward. 

Oliver Wahlstrom RW: Oliver Wahlstrom impressed in his first full season with the Islanders. In 44 games, the 21-year-old winger scored 12 goals and recorded 21 points. With the Islanders losing Jordan Eberle to the Kraken through the Expansion Draft, there is a very good chance that Wahlstrom will now play top-six minutes. He also should receive plenty of chances on the power play. This should surely lead to him producing more this upcoming season. He has all the tools to become a top forward for the Islanders. It's why the Islanders drafted him 11th overall in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft in the first place. 

Kieffer Bellows LW: In 14 games with the Islanders this past season, Kieffer Bellows scored three goals. He also had 22 goals and nine assists in 52 games with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. This could be the year that the 2016 first-round pick finds his scoring touch in the NHL. He has the potential to be a pretty solid forward in the NHL, but with him being now 23-years-old, he needs to work quickly. 

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