Isaiah George

The Islanders have recalled defenseman Isaiah George from AHL Bridgeport, per the NHL’s media site (hat tip to Stefen Rosner of NHL.com/The Hockey News). It’s the first-ever NHL recall for the 20-year-old, who could make his NHL debut tonight against the Penguins.

George replaces Samuel Bolduc on the active roster. Bolduc, 23, was summoned from Bridgeport before Sunday’s 5-2 loss to the Rangers after the club lost defensemen Adam Pelech, Mike Reilly and Alexander Romanov to injuries in their win over the Sabres on Friday. However, Bolduc played just 5:56 against the Rangers, posting a -1 rating, and was returned to Bridgeport yesterday. The organization evidently doesn’t view him as a legitimate NHL option for now after he played a career-high 34 games last year, so George comes up to get his first chance at NHL minutes.

George, a left-shot defender, was a fourth-round pick (98th overall) in 2022. He spent the following two seasons finishing out his junior career with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League before making his professional debut with Bridgeport this season. The “effortless puck-carrier,” as described by Elite Prospects, has a goal and an assist with a -1 rating through his first four games with the Baby Isles.

For now, Romanov remains day-to-day with the upper-body injury that’s cost him four of the Islanders’ last five games. He skated alongside Noah Dobson in line rushes in practice yesterday, though, per Denis P. Gorman of Newsday. He appears likely to play tonight, but if he can’t go, George will slot into the lineup with Ryan Pulock and Dennis Cholowski ahead of him on the Islanders’ left defense depth chart.

George only played three junior seasons instead of the typical four prior to aging out, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic wiping out what would have been his rookie campaign with London. He still totaled 19 goals, 56 assists, 75 points, 100 PIMs, and a +72 rating in 189 appearances for the Knights. He posted career-highs across the board last season with 24 assists, 30 points, and a +26 rating before adding 12 points in 18 playoff games as London won the OHL championship. He’s still in the first year of his entry-level contract, so he isn’t eligible for restricted free agency until 2027.

The New York Islanders have signed defenseman Isaiah George to a three-year, entry-level contract, per a team announcement. CapFriendly reports that the deal carries a $950K AAV and breaks down as follows:

2023-24: $775K base salary, $95K signing bonus, $80K in GP bonuses
2024-25: $775K base salary, $95K signing bonus, $80K in GP bonuses
2025-26: $775K base salary, $95K signing bonus, $80K in GP bonuses

George, 19, will be returned to the OHL’s London Knights for 2023-24 after attending Islanders training camp, which will defer the start of his contract to the 2024-25 season. Selected in the fourth round (98th overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft, George has displayed consistency throughout his junior hockey career and projects as a smooth-skating shutdown defender at the NHL level. He’s totaled 13 goals, 32 assists and 45 points in 121 appearances for the Knights over the past two seasons, alongside a promising +46 rating.

Standing at 6 feet and 198 pounds, the Islanders would like to see George fill out his frame before transitioning to the pro game. He’ll likely report to the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders in 2024-25 and could very well spend two or even three seasons there before getting an extended look in the NHL lineup. He’s a bit of a project, as is the case with most defenders drafted in the later rounds, but he does carry significant shutdown upside should he make the NHL.

George officially joins an Islanders defense prospect pool devoid of any major upside but has a few nice pieces in 2019 second-round pick Samuel Bolduc (who looks to lock down a full-time NHL role this season) and 2022 second-round pick Calle Odelius.