After leaving Boston College following his freshman season, New York Islanders top prospect Oliver Wahlstrom was set to make an impact during the Bridgeport Sound Tigers playoff run. He ended up scoring two goals and adding an assist in five regular-season games, along with two goals and four points in five playoff games. Finishing up his 2018-19 season, many Islander fans were looking to the 2019-20 season as a year of development during his first full professional season.

The Good:

After making his professional debut with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at the end of the 2018-19 season, this season was set to be a year of development for Oliver Wahlstrom, the eleventh overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. Many people did not expect the 19-year-old forward to see NHL game time this season, but he would make his debut in only the second week of the season on Columbus Day against the defending Stanley Cup Champion St. Louis Blues. In Bridgeport, Wahlstrom scored ten goals and 12 assists, which was among the best on a depleted Bridgeport team.

The Bad:

There weren’t many negative aspects of Oliver Wahlstrom’s game this year, but as is usual with Islanders’ first-round forwards, they tend to struggle in the defensive end. He finished his NHL stint with a -2 and was a -16 in 45 games for the Sound Tigers. Wahlstrom was leaned on heavily this season, and he did, but it did not help that he played on one of the worst teams in the American Hockey League.

The Expectations:

Coming into the year, as mentioned above, this season was expected to be a development year for Wahlstrom, who became the first player born in 2000 to suit up for the Sound Tigers, and the second for the Islanders behind Noah Dobson. Wahlstrom was also expected to be a major weapon on the power play, and on the Island, he was expected to grind it out on the third and fourth lines for Barry Trotz.

The Moment of the Season:

Despite the fact that when Oliver Wahlstrom was in the NHL he was held pointless in his nine games, he played a strong game in his NHL debut on Columbus Day against the St. Louis Blues. Wahlstrom played 15:13, the most he played all season and recorded two shots.

The Verdict:

During his short stint in the NHL this season, there was not much Wahlstrom did to make a large impact, but he was a physical presence in the bottom-six during a time when the Islanders’ forward core suffered many injuries.

The Grade: 79/C+

Christian Gardecki

A Native of Danbury, CT. Christian is one of the longest tenured Drive4Five writers, Christian Gardecki began writing for Drive4five In May of 2017. Christian covers Minor League Hockey and the Bridgeport Islanders for Drive4Five. Outside of Drive4Five, Christian was the captain of his High School Hockey team and currently attends Hofstra University with a major in journalism. Christian was the play by play broadcaster for the Danbury Westerners summer collegiate baseball team during their 2021 NECBL Championship. Christian also was the Public Address Announcer for the Danbury Hat Tricks Minor Pro Hockey team in the Federal Prospects Hockey League and NAHL Junior team from 2019-21.