It was a duel between prospects Wednesday night in Hartford, with the visiting Bridgeport Islanders coming out on top over the Hartford Wolf Pack 4-1. A game primarily controlled by the Islanders can be attributed to the performance of top prospects Alex Jefferies and William Dufour. Hartford had their chances, with the best stemming from Brett Berard, Ryder Korczak, and 2021 first-round pick Brennan Othmann.
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It was a 1-0 first-period lead for the Islanders courtesy of Jefferies’ scrappy goal. The winger has skyrocketed the ranks in the Islanders’ bare prospect pool, cementing himself as the team’s top winger prospect. The right-shot winger had spent the majority of his career as a left-wing for Merrimack College, playing a well-rounded game on the team’s top line. He was most recently named a nominee for the Hobey Baker Award this season before signing with the Islanders organization.
Finding Timely Scoring
Jefferies has a great shot and positions himself well, creating high-danger opportunities nightly. His vision and playmaking ability are strong, too, by creating multiple good looks for Bridgeport throughout each game. While his linemates failed to capitalize, he is positioning himself well to join the top line of Matthew Maggio and Ruslan Iskhakov in the future. Regarding his NHL career, he is a lot closer to the NHL than most fans may think, with his skating being the one aspect of his game that needs work. With his ability to slot in on both sides of the wing, he has a chance to crack the 2024-25 New York Islanders’ opening roster this coming fall. After the Islanders went up 2-0 in the second period, the Wolf Pack fought back with a snipe from center Ryder Korczak.
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The one-goal game did not last long with an Iskhakov to Dufour pass finding the net just over two minutes later. The two have spent some time together in recent seasons, but have been on separate lines for significant chunks of this season. With the extra ice courtesy of Connor Mackey and Carsen Twarynski’s offsetting roughing minors, Dufour and Iskhakov were able to skate around the Wolf Pack defenders to connect for a crisp pass that led to a shot on an open net. Iskhakov spent most of the game with the puck on his stick, showing flashes of 2022-23 Mat Barzal. He had good opportunities but was always a second too early or too late on each pass. When he did connect for passes, the shots were frequently missed. However, there was no missing for Dufour on the open net. This was his 14th goal of the season, adding to an impressive second half of the season in his hopes of rising up the depth chart within the Islanders organization.
His hard-nosed, physical game mixed with his strong shooting talent leaves him as an intriguing option to join the Islanders’ bottom six in the coming seasons. From the opening face-off to the final whistle, you couldn’t wipe the smile off of Dufour’s face. Was he excited for some post-game lasagna? Or maybe to get a good night’s rest following the game? Who knows, but his attitude paid off, with perhaps the best performance of his professional career yet. He had just one goal to show for it, but he was constantly in the mix and created a handful of great chances for Bridgeport.
Interestingly, he is similar to Jefferies as they both need to work on their skating. For Dufour, it is speed and taking advantage of his size. Jefferies is the contrary, having the speed but his edge work needs to improve. He often finds himself tripping over himself or struggling to go from backward to forward skating, and visa versa. This is not an issue that should keep him from entering the NHL, but rather one he can address to take his game to the next level. For Dufour, once he improves his skating, he will hope to replace Cal Clutterbuck as the Islanders’ fourth-line right wing. His offensive talent provides a significant boost to New York’s depth.
Analyzing Rangers Prospects’ Futures
Rangers’ prospects Othmann and Berard had strong games, showcasing their skills with multiple scoring chances each. Othmann, who debuted in the NHL earlier this season, is a surefire lock to reach the NHL, and there is no doubt why. He was the best player on either side, playing a dominant two-way game. The 21-year-old is a fast-paced winger who has a blistering shot and thrives in the defensive game and would be in the NHL on almost any other NHL team. Evaluating the Rangers for next season, it is hard to imagine him stepping foot in Hartford again. He is as NHL-ready as they come and will be a dominant force for the Rangers in the future.
Berard will have a tougher path to the NHL amid the Rangers deep prospect pool. He is an electric winger, posing an offensive threat on each shift. His 5-foot-9 size is the biggest factor keeping him from the NHL, but his offensive talent may grow so undeniable that the Rangers will have no choice but to call him up. It will be a few years until he suits up at Madison Square Garden, but if he continues his pace he will be sure to earn his way there.
With the teams concluding their final matchup of this American Hockey League (AHL) season, they will each have their challenges to overcome in the final stretch. The Islanders do not have much to play for as they will not be making the playoffs, but they can learn a lot about their youth to prepare for next season. The Wolf Pack are still fighting for a playoff spot, so they will look to secure some much-needed wins in their upcoming matchups.