The New York Islanders have agreed to terms with Simon Holmstrom on a three-year entry-level contract. Holmstrom was the team’s first pick, 23rd overall, in this June’s draft.
As with many players taken in the back half of the first round, Holmstrom comes to the Islanders as a prospect with widely different potential outcomes. An excellent skater with and without the puck, he can dance through the competition or catch the opposition on the backcheck. He has had tons of success in the Swedish junior leagues, but has played only a pair of games in the SHL and is still quite raw.
Part of that is due to several injuries that took him off the ice for long chunks of the 2018-19 season, but those setbacks may also be the only reason he was available for the Islanders so late in the first round. Expected to stay in Sweden for the 2019-20 season, if he can get some experience and success at a higher level there could be a quick path to the NHL for the 18-year old.