During this offseason, the New York Islanders traded defenseman Nick Leddy to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for forward Richard Panik and a second-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. Trading Leddy was a great move for the Isles however, they are now faced with the decision of who should play defense with Scott Mayfield.  Assuming the Islanders are looking to fill the spot with someone on the current roster, the two likely candidates are Thomas Hickey and Sebastian Aho, along with Erik Gustafsson, who was just brought in on a PTO. While all are viable options, Sebastian Aho should be the Islanders’ sixth defenseman. 

The Islanders Need More Youth

Aho is 25 years old and has only played a total of 25 NHL games in two seasons combined. With proper mentoring, he has the potential to be molded into a starting defenseman. Of the five other defensemen, four of them have played more than five seasons. The only other younger defenseman is 21-year-old Noah Dobson. 

It would be in the Islanders’ best interest to give Sebastian Aho the chance to play in the starting lineup now. This way in the coming years when their older defensemen retire, the Isles will have more than just one young player ready to step up and fill their roles.

The Next Dobson

Having a skilled veteran as a mentor is a huge part of becoming successful in the NHL. Noah Dobson has only played in two NHL seasons and was mentored by Johnny Boychuk and Andy Greene. The two vets played a major role in Dobson’s improvement over the last two years. 

In his first season (34 regular-season games), Dobson only recorded seven points (1g, 6a) and 37 shots. However, in his second season (46 regular-season games), his stats were nearly doubled. He recorded 14 points (3g, 11a) and 69 shots on goal. 

Mayfield can be Aho’s mentor and help him to become as skilled and confident as Dobson. Even though Aho only played in three games in the 2020-21 season, he scored one goal and got an assist. Aho has the potential to make the starting lineup, he just needs the proper guidance to do so. 

Aho Should Play With Mayfield

While Thomas Hickey is a good defenseman and a great all-around person, he is not what the Islanders need for the long run. He is 32 years old and has not scored a goal in his past 49 games as an Islander. Also, despite having a 60-point season three years ago, the 29-year-old Gustafsson has struggled since then and may not be the best fit for the Islanders’ defense as an everyday player. By giving Sebastian Aho the sixth defensive spot, they are setting themselves up for success not just in this season, but for the coming seasons if they decide to re-sign him. Aho is a young and eager player with lots of potential that Scott Mayfield has the potential to unlock.

Maisy Healy

I am a huge Islanders fan and love spreading my passion for the team here at Drive4Five.  Along with writing, I also co-manage the Drive4Five TikTok and Facebook accounts.