Isaiah George Motivated to Earn Opening Night Roster Spot

Since his first Rookie Camp in 2022, Isaiah George has entered every season with the mindset of making the New York Islanders roster.

Now entering his fifth season in the organization, George has 37 NHL games on his resume and will head into Islanders Training Camp with his most realistic chance yet of making the New York Islanders’ Opening Night roster.

“Every year since I was 18, I came in trying to make the team,” George said. “I just want to put my best foot forward and do things the right way.”

This summer, George is determined to make the strides necessary to earn a spot. Islanders General Manager and Executive Vice President Mathieu Darche recently spoke highly of George, saying the organization believes in him and hopes he earns a roster spot this October. The praise was music to the 22-year-old defenseman’s ears.

“It’s always great to hear your coaches and front office speak highly of you,” George said. “I’m just trying to be the player I know I can be.”

In addition, Head Coach Peter DeBoer was thoroughly impressed with George’s maturity and performance during this week’s Development Camp, citing his excitement to get George into his system, which he believes will mesh well with his skillset.

“A lot of older guys might have balked [at coming to Development Camp] after being a pro as long as he has,” DeBoer said. “He embraced the experience and during the scrimmage, I thought he was the best player on the ice. It showed that he’s a true professional and ready to go.”

George, a native of Oakville, Ontario, spends his summers training north of the border alongside NHL talent, including a familiar face for Islanders fans.

“Me and Schaef [Matthew Schaefer] have been working out the past two summers,” George said. “It’s been great to see him develop, and we have a great group of NHLers and pros that we skate with.”

George is coming off a 2025-26 season that challenged him. After playing 33 games with the Islanders the year prior, he began the year in Bridgeport and admitted there were growing pains as he adjusted.

“I faced a lot of adversity at the beginning of the season, which was good for me in the long run,” George said. “Being able to experience hardship and come out on the other side of it was something I needed.”

George battled through injury and adversity and turned in a productive second half in Bridgeport while appearing in four games with the Islanders. He felt the second half was much more reflective of the player he is.

“I felt my game was always there, and I just dealt with some bad bounces,” George said. “Keeping a positive mentality and staying consistent with my work ethic started to pay off.”

George was a key member of a Bridgeport roster that reached the postseason for the first time in four seasons. He recorded 18 points (6G, 12A) in 47 games while becoming one of Rocky Thompson’s most trusted defensemen.

The trust Thompson – who was recently promoted to Assistant Coach on DeBoer’s staff – placed in George helped the young defenseman continue developing his game.

“Rocky was great for us and individually helped me a ton,” George said. “He put a lot of effort into helping players get to the next level and was a huge part of our team’s success.”

With Thompson’s promotion, Jay McKee was recently hired as head coach of the Islanders’ new AHL affiliate, the Hamilton Hammers. McKee comes from the Ontario Hockey League, where George played junior hockey with the London 

Knights and got the better of McKee’s teams a few times.

“He’s a tough coach to play against, but I think we beat him [Brantford Bulldogs] every time,” George joked.

George, once the young teenager looking up to older prospects, embraced the role of mentor during Development Camp. First-round selections Malte Gustafsson and Kashawn Aitcheson were among the 11 drafted defensemen in attendance. George knows what it’s like to be in their shoes and wanted to help however he could.

“I want to be someone who can give a little bit of insight and answer questions if they have them,” George said. “Being familiar with the staff and the expectations of being an Islander is important, so I’m just trying to point them in the right direction.”

While serving as a role model is important to George, his goal for 2026-27 is clear: make the team.

“I know what it takes to play at this level,” George said. “I’ve made major improvements in my game since I got drafted, and I feel like I’m in a position now where I’m ready and can make an impact.”