Iskhakov Returns to North America Ahead of First Isles Training Camp

Ruslan Iskhakov has returned to North America.
The 2018 second-round pick (43rd overall), spent the past two seasons overseas, but is back stateside after inking a two-year, entry-level contract in the spring.

The small, but shifty forward spent the 2020-21 season playing for TPS in Liiga, Finland's top league, recording 38 points (10G, 28A) in 54 games, plus an additional seven points (2G, 5A) in 13 playoff games. Last year, Iskhakov played for Adler Mannheim in Germany's DEL. Injuries limited him to 25 games, but he scored nearly a point-per-game, with 22 points (7G, 15A).
"I got more mature playing with the pros," Iskhakov said. "Especially in Finland where you have a lot of players that are really good skaters. In Germany, we had a lot of North American guys who have already played in NHL or AHL. I think it was just a great experience for me."

The 2018 second-round pick spent his summer in Helsinki, skating with a group that included Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov and Columbus Blue Jackets sharpshooter Patrik Laine. Iskhakov arrived on Long Island a week ahead of Rookie Camp, looking to acclimate to east coast time and participate with a handful of Islanders in informal skates. He sees some familiar faces in Robin Salo and Otto Koivula, who he skated with at the team's development camps in 2018 and 2019.
"It's always great to skate with some of the best players in the NHL," he said. "The time change is almost eight hours, so I had a hard jet lag for the first couple of days, but now I just feel good."
Iskhakov played two seasons at UConn from 2018-20, posting 21 points in 32 games both seasons. The Moscow native is familiar with the area after living in Connecticut for two years and is excited to return and see some old friends. That off-ice transition should help as he gets set to play his first pro season in North America.

"It's easier for me right now because at the time, I didn't speak any English," Iskhakov said. "So now it's kind of easier to communicate with the people. I'm just happy to be back."
Between his collegiate and European stints, Iskhakov has never attended an Islanders training camp, so this year will be his first. It'll mark a chance to player and team to see each other up close after being an ocean apart for the past two seasons.
"I'm just really happy to be back here," Iskhakov said. "It's an awesome opportunity here."