The New York Islanders have added another intriguing young forward prospect, signing Otto Koivula to a three-year entry-level contract. The 19-year old forward recently finished his second full season in the Finnish Liiga, and could now potentially come over to spend some time on North American ice over the next few weeks.
Koivula was named Rookie of the Year last season when he scored 30 points in 50 games, using his size and creativity to create offense for himself and linemates. He was selected in the fourth round of the 2016 draft, and remains something of a project for the Islanders despite some interesting potential. At 6’4″ 220-lbs, Koivula plays with more skill than players of his size normally do, and could develop into a powerful offensive threat if everything clicks.
At the most recent World Juniors, Koivula recorded just two points in six games, and this season saw him register just 27 points in 53 games for his club team. While that is sort of a step backwards, he wasn’t put in as many offensive situations as Ilves relied on some different players this season. It’s not clear if he’s coming over for AHL play next season, as he could still be loaned back to Europe in 2018-19.