Islanders Prospect Report: Mar. 2, 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.

AITCHESON EARNS SECOND ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE DEFENSEMAN OF THE MONTH RECOGNITION 

 Kashawn Aitcheson is garnering league-wide recognition as he was named the Ontario Hockey League’s (OHL) defenseman of the month for the second straight month.  

Aitcheson tallied 17 points (4G, 13A), a plus 10 rating, became the Barrie Colts’ all-time points leader and helped the team compile a 9-1-0 record to clinch the Central Division title in February.

Aitcheson, the Islanders 2025 first-round pick (17th overall), picked up two assists in his last two outings. Both his helpers came in Barrie’s 2-1 overtime victory over the Sarnia Sting on Feb. 27.

The 19-year-old leads all OHL defensemen in scoring and ranks second on the Colts with 63 points (26G, 37A) and owns the best plus-minus rating (+42) in the OHL this season.

ROMANO SCORES TWICE IN RETURN WEEK 

 Luca Romano found the back of the net in both games for the Kitchener Rangers in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) this week. It was his first action in nearly a month, as he missed 10 games with a lower-body injury. He sustained the injury in a 7-2 win over the Windsor Spitfires on Jan. 30 and returned to action on Friday.  

Romano, who was selected by the Islanders in the third round (74th overall) of the 2025 NHL Draft, impacted the game in his return. He beelined to the net off a Steelheads turnover and roofed a goal to put Kitchener up 2-1 in the second period on Friday.

Later in the week, Romano and the Rangers took it to fellow Islanders prospect Jesse Nurmi and the London Knights, knocking them off 4-1. Romano sniffed out a loose puck in the slot and slotted it home while falling to his knees and leveling the game at 1-1.

The Canadian has points in each of his last four outings and goals in his last three. He has recorded six points (3G, 3A) in that four-game stretch. Romano is up to 33 points (14G, 19A) in 48 games this season. Kitchener has won 11 of their last 12 where Romano has drawn into the lineup.

EISERMAN TALLIES THREE POINT WEEK 

Cole Eiserman recorded three points (2G, 1A) as Boston University swept city rival Boston College in a two-game series on February’s final days. 

Eiserman, who was drafted by the Islanders in the first round (20th overall) of the 2024 NHL Draft, kicked off the scoring for BU in Friday’s contest with a one-timed rocket in the right circle to even the game at one.

Eiserman has gained a reputation for putting in good shifts and scoring goals from his office in that right circle. 

Eiserman and teammate Kamil Bednarik, who was the Islanders’ second-round pick (61st overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft, teamed up and assisted on the game-sealing empty netter to make it 3-1 BU. 

The two tag-teamed again in the next game. Eiserman finished game two’s scoring with an empty net goal from Bednarik and extended the BU lead to 5-1.   

The 19-year-old leads Boston University and is tied for 11th in the nation with 15 goals this season. Eiserman has points in his last three games, with five (3G, 2A) in that span, and ranks second on the team with 23 points (15G, 8A) in the 2025-26 campaign. 

LAURILA SCORES FIRST NCAA GOAL 

Sam Laurila earned two points (1G, 1A), including his first career NCAA goal, as No. 3 University of North Dakota went 1-0-1 in their two-game series against No. 4 Western Michigan University. 

Laurila, who was the Islanders fifth-round (138th overall) pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, achieved his milestone as he opened the scoring on a one-timer just outside the right circle in Friday’s 5-3 win.

In game two, the 19-year-old defenseman notched a helper on North Dakota’s first goal to gridlock the game a 1-1 within the first 10 minutes.

Laurila ranks fourth among defensemen on the Fighting Hawks with 10 points (1G, 9A) in 29 games this season. He also has 14 blocked shots.

STATS

CHL 

Kashawn Aitcheson (Barrie) OHL | 48GP, 26G, 37A, 63P, 73PIM 

Luca Romano (Kitchener) OHL | 48GP, 14G, 19A, 33P, 20PIM 

Burke Hood (Vancouver) WHL | 37GP, 15-16-2, 3.92 GAA, .891 SV%, 0 SO 

Jacob Kvasnicka (Penticton) WHL | 58GP, 34G, 45A, 79P, 16PIM 

Tomas Poletín (Kelowna) WHL | 35GP, 19G, 12A, 31P, 34PIM 

Jesse Nurmi (London) OHL | 24 GP, 14G, 14A, 28P, 8PIM 

KHL 

Daniil Prokhorov | Dynamo Moscow (KHL) | 15GP, 1G, 0A, 1P, 2PIM 

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

Daniil Prokhorov | MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL) | 6GP, 2G, 3A, 5P, 0PIM 

Dmitry Gamzin | CSKA Moscow (KHL) | 34GP, 19-8-0, 1.59 GAA, .936 SV%, 6 SO 

SWEDEN 

Victor Eklund | Djurgårdens IF (SHL) | 38GP, 5G, 14A, 19P, 12PIM 

Marcus Gidlof | Leksands IF (SHL) | 24GP, 9-15-0, 2.84 GAA, .896 SV%, 4 SO 

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

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

NCAA 

Sam Laurila | North Dakota (NCHC) | 30GP, 1G, 9A, 10P, 25PIM 

Quinn Finley | Wisconsin (Big Ten) | 30GP, 13G, 12A, 25P, 20PIM 

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

Danny Nelson | Notre Dame (Big Ten) | 33GP, 13G, 14A, 27P, 30PIM 

Tomas Machu | Providence College (Hockey East) | 32GP, 0G, 4A, 4P, 20PIM 

Cole Eiserman | Boston Univ. (Hockey East) | 29GP, 15G, 8A, 23P, 8PIM 

Kamil Bednarik | Boston Univ. (Hockey East) | 32GP, 5G, 9A, 14P, 18PIM 

Xavier Veilleux | Cornell (ECAC) | 29GP, 6G, 18A, 24P, 8PIM