When thinking of the Islanders distinguished prospects names like Noah Dobson, Oliver Wahlstrom and Kieffer Bellows will more than likely come up. However, Robin Salo is seriously undervalued when talking about the Islanders defensive prospects.

The Islanders selected Salo 46th in the 2017 NHL Draft. He appeared in five games in the U-20 World Junior Championship for his home country Finland. Currently, the young left handed prospect is playing in SM-Liiga, which is predominantly known as the Finnish Elite League.
This season Salo scored a total of 16 points in 57 games, and while these numbers are not overwhelming, Salo’s control of the puck and efficient passing on both sides of the rink are elite.

When talking about Salo, FutureConsiderations.ca stated that he “skates well with very strong balance and overall mobility… has impressive vision reading the forecheck and poise when pressured.”

Salo’s realistic potential ceiling on the Islanders is becoming a very productive defenseman that will be quiet on the scoresheet, but pay dividends on the ice.

Salo has attended the previous two Islander prospect camps that occur after the NHL draft every season. Rosters haven’t been released yet but hopefully the 20-year old once again comes over to the United States to put his skills on display for the new coaching staff.
The Islanders will be hosting their annual prospect scrimmage on June 27 at the Northwell Health Ice Center.

John Smark