Islanders Prospect Report: Apr. 6, 2026

Welcome to the Islanders Prospect Report, a weekly roundup of the Islanders' junior, collegiate and European prospects. Visit our In the System page for more prospect content.

KVASNICKA RIDING A 5-GAME PLAYOFF POINT STREAK 

Jacob Kvasnicka recorded six points (3G, 3A) in his last three outings, extending his playoff point streak to five games as the Penticton Vees cruised past the Seattle Thunderbirds 4-1 in the opening round of the Western Hockey League (WHL) Playoffs.  

Kvasnicka, who was drafted in the seventh round (202nd overall) of the 2025 NHL Draft, began the second week of WHL Playoff action with a goal and an assist in Game 3 on Tuesday.

The next game, the 18-year-old earned a primary helper as Penticton dropped their only game of the series.  

Kvasnicka quickly turned things back around with three points (2G, 1A), including a penalty shot, as he was named the WHL's top performer of the night in a series closing 6-3 victory on Friday.

Kvasnicka leads the Vees and ranks third in the WHL with nine points (5G, 4A) in the playoffs.

He was also named a Western Conference Finalist for the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the WHL’s Rookie of the Year.

Kvasnicka and the Vees are awaiting an opponent in the second round of the WHL Playoffs.

AITCHESON TALLIES FIVE POINTS 

Kashawn Aitcheson tallied five points (1G, 4A) in three games to help the Barrie Colts top the Niagara IceDogs 4-1 in the opening round of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Playoffs.   

Aitcheson, who the Islanders drafted 17th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, tallied a power-play game-winning one-timer as the Colts knocked off the IceDogs 5-2 in Game 3.

The Canadian defenseman built on his game-winning goal performance with a three-point (3A) outing two nights later, as Barrie took a 3-1 series lead.

The Colts and Aitcheson kept their foot on the gas and sealed the series with a 5-0 shutout victory on Apr. 4. The 19-year-old notched one more power-play assist in the win.

Aitcheson ranks fifth among skaters and leads all Colts defensemen with five points (1G, 4A) in this playoff campaign. He served a two-game suspension to open the playoffs.

Barrie is set to face off against the Ottawa 67’s in the second round of the OHL Playoffs. 

ROMANO SCORES OVERTIME GAME-WINNER 

Luca Romano found his stride in the back half of the OHL Playoffs’ first round, earning three points (1G, 2A) in two most recent games as the Kitchener Rangers swept the Saginaw Spirit. 

Romano, who was drafted in the third round (74th overall) of the 2025 NHL Draft by the Islanders, assisted on Game 3’s opening score before slotting home the overtime game-winner on the doorstep.

The next game, the 18-year-old forward found another assist en route to a 5-1 Kitchener win to finish off the series.

Romano is eighth on the Rangers with three points (1G, 2A) in four playoff games this year.  

Kitchener will face the Soo Greyhounds, who eliminated Jesse Nurmi and the London Nights 4-1 in their opening round matchup, in the second round of the OHL Playoffs. 

POLETIN NOTCHES GOAL AND ASSIST IN OPENING PLAYOFF ROUND 

Tomas Poletin scored his first goal of the 2026 WHL Playoffs in the Kelowna Rockets’ 6-2 series clinching win over the Kamloops Blazers.

Poletin, who was the Islanders’ fourth-round (106th overall) selection in the 2025 NHL Draft, is tied for eighth on the Rockets with two points (1G, 1A) through four playoff games this season.

Kelowna swept the Blazers and is awaiting an opponent in the second round of the WHL Playoffs. If the Spokane Chiefs, who are currently down 3-2 in their first round series, come back to beat the Prince George Cougars, then Poletin and the Rockets will face Kvasnicka and the Vees in round two.

STATS

CHL 

Kashawn Aitcheson (Barrie) OHL | 56GP, 28G, 42A, 70P, 97PIM 

Kashawn Aitcheson (Barrie) OHL Playoffs | 3GP, 1G, 4A, 5P, 2PIM 

Luca Romano (Kitchener) OHL | 55GP, 14G, 19A, 33P, 22PIM 

Luca Romano (Kitchener) OHL Playoffs | 4GP, 1G, 2A, 3P, 2PIM 

Burke Hood (Vancouver) WHL | 42GP, 18-18-2, 3.83 GAA, .892 SV%, 0 SO 

Jacob Kvasnicka (Penticton) WHL | 65GP, 35G, 50A, 85P, 21PIM 

Jacob Kvasnicka (Penticton) WHL Playoffs | 5GP, 5G, 4A, 9P, 0PIM 

Tomas Poletín (Kelowna) WHL | 43GP, 20G, 15A, 35P, 38PIM 

Tomas Poletín (Kelowna) WHL Playoffs | 4GP, 1G, 1A, 2P, 0PIM 

Jesse Nurmi (London) OHL | 30GP, 14G, 17A, 31P, 10PIM 

Jesse Nurmi (London) OHL Playoffs | 4GP, 0G, 1A, 1P, 0PIM 

KHL 

Daniil Prokhorov | Dynamo Moscow (KHL) | 23GP, 1G, 0A, 1P, 2PIM 

Daniil Prokhorov | Dynamo Moscow (KHL Playoffs) | 2GP, 0G, 0A, 0P, 0PIM 

Daniil Prokhorov | Dynamo St. Petersburg (VHL) | 25GP, 9G, 9A, 18P, 14PIM 

Daniil Prokhorov | MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL) | 8GP, 3G, 3A, 6P, 0PIM 

Daniil Prokhorov | Dynamo Moscow (MHL Playoffs) | 2GP, 1G, 0A, 1P, 2PIM 

Dmitry Gamzin | CSKA Moscow (KHL) | 40GP, 22-10-6, 1.49 GAA, .938 SV%, 8 SO  

Dmitry Gamzin | CSKA Moscow (KHL Playoffs) | 5GP, 4-1-0, 1.66 GAA, .936 SV%, 0 SO 

SWEDEN 

Dennis Good Bogg | Väsby IK (HockeyEttan) | 7GP, 1G, 1A, 2P, 6PIM 

Dennis Good Bogg | Karlskrona HK (HockeyEttan) | 29GP, 0G, 3A, 3P, 41PIM 

Dennis Good Bogg | Karlskrona HK (HockeyEttan Qualification) | 11GP, 0G, 0A, 0P, 8PIM 

NCAA 

Sam Laurila | North Dakota (NCHC) | 35GP, 1G, 9A, 10P, 29PIM 

Quinn Finley | Wisconsin (Big Ten) | 35GP, 17G, 16A, 33P, 22PIM 

Zachary Shulz | Wisconsin (Big Ten) | 12GP, 0G, 3A, 3P, 12PIM 

Danny Nelson | Notre Dame (Big Ten) | 36GP, 13G, 16A, 29P, 32PIM 

Tomas Machu | Providence College (Hockey East) | 35GP, 0G, 4A, 4P, 20PIM 

Kamil Bednarik | Boston Univ. (Hockey East) | 35GP, 5G, 11A, 16P, 20PIM 

Xavier Veilleux | Cornell (ECAC) | 34GP, 6G, 20A, 26P, 12PIM