Finley Finding New Levels to His Game

In his junior year at the NCAA level with the Wisconsin Badgers, Quinn Finley isn’t only carving himself out to be a forward that can play in all situations.

“This year, I’m PK’ing a lot more so that’s been nice,” Finley said. “Comparing it to last year, the numbers aren’t as high in the first half as last year, but we're also winning more games, and I think I'm playing a little bit more of the right way, kind of like that pro-style game.

The 19-year-old winger has racked up 24 points (12G, 12A) through 28 games this season after he put up a 20-goal, 40-point campaign in his sophomore year. He’s increasing his defensive responsibility and garnering trust from the coaching staff by putting effort into the details – fully focused on team success vs his individual stat sheet.

Finley and Wisconsin are 18-10-2 overall this season with an 11-9-0 record in conference games, good for fourth in the Big Ten. With four games left in the regular season, Finley is looking to help his team make a push.

“I had a good year last year, but I think our team is a lot better this year,” Finley said. “I'm super excited about our team this year, and just want to keep getting off to a better start here in the second half and see how much of a run we can make.”

Finley carries a lot of experience in his junior year. He anchors the team as a player with 101 NCAA games on his resume and 80 points (42G, 38A) in his three seasons with Wisconsin. He’s not intimidated by high-pressure environments, as he can chip in with leadership while getting the experience he’ll need to turn pro.

“Being an older guy, I’ve been in those tough environments, playing on the road at Minnesota, or at Michigan or at Michigan State,” Finley said. “I know what it's like and know how to embrace those opportunities. I'm just trying to take advantage of it as well.”

Aside from NCAA hockey, Finley has also competed at an international level, most recently earning silver in the 2026 Spengler Cup alongside fellow Isles prospect and Notre Dame forward Danny Nelson. The two have developed quite a friendship through their time in the Islanders organization.

“Oh yeah, it's a blast,” Finley said. “We text a lot, especially throughout the season, talking about who he's playing or who I'm playing. He's an unbelievable kid. I love hanging out with him outside the rink and inside the rink. He's a really good player too.”

Representing the United States in the international competition was an honor for Finley, who competed in the 2024 World Juniors, contributing two points (1G, 1A) in the gold medal win. The Valparaiso, Indiana native aspires to play in World Championships down the line and has Olympic dreams.

“Anytime you can represent not just your family and your school, but USA Hockey and the flag, it's always an honor,” Finley said. “You always go for those things.”

Finley is roommates with teammate Zach Schulz, who was drafted by the Islanders in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL Draft (177^th overall). They’re both dialed into the Islanders when they’re away from the rink.

“Having Zach here at Wisconsin too, it’s a lot of fun,” Finley said. “Whenever we're making dinner and they're playing we’ll throw the Islanders game on. “We always have hockey on if we’re not playing, we try to follow as much as we can.”

When Finley reflects on his time at Islanders Development Camp last summer, he is putting those tips and tricks to good use as he continues to grow in his junior year with Wisconsin.

“Development camp was fun, just seeing a bunch of my friends there and obviously meeting new guys as well. We all picked up a lot of things there and brought them back here at Wisconsin. I just want to keep working on some of those skills that we were taught there and hopefully make it there soon.”