The New York Islanders announced Tuesday morning that they called up 20-year-old defenseman Isaiah George. George will make his NHL debut Tuesday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Notably, he becomes the youngest Islanders defenseman to debut since Noah Dobson in 2019 at age 19.

Currently battered by injuries, the Islanders desperately need defensive depth early in the season. With key defensemen Mike Reilly, Alexander Romanov and Adam Pelech all missing time, general manager Lou Lamoriello initially called on defensemen Samuel Bolduc and Grant Hutton.

However, after one game, head coach Patrick Roy grew displeased with Bolduc’s performance and, consequently, sent him back to AHL Bridgeport the next day.

Now, the Islanders look to George. They selected the Oakville, Ontario native with the 98th pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.

Throughout his career, George has shown promise both in junior hockey and in his brief AHL stint. In his final junior season, he helped the London Knights win the OHL championship in 2024. Additionally, he performed exceptionally in those playoffs, tallying 12 points in 18 games.

George saw limited AHL action due to an early-season injury, but he still posted two points in four games.

Despite these achievements, George faces a challenging NHL debut against the Penguins.

Pittsburgh’s veteran stars, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, will test any defenseman, especially a 20-year-old rookie.

Still, Islanders Roy seems excited about the rookie.

“The reports [from Bridgeport] were really good,” Roy said. “They were very happy with him, and he’s been playing really well for them. What I like about his game is he skates very well and moves the puck well. So, I think it’d be a good opportunity for him.”

The Islanders and George will face the Penguins at UBS Arena on Tuesday at 7:30 pm. Fans can watch the game on MSG Networks, Gotham Sports or ESPN+.

Image Courtesy of the Springfield Thunderbirds

Joey McAuliffe

Joey McAuliffe is a passionate Islander fan pursuing a Masters of Accounting in Buffalo, NY. His favorite player of all time is Jordan Eberle. He has followed the team closely since 2014, but he began regularly attending games during the 2006 season. Outside of hockey, Joey loves music and the Buffalo Bills.