Islanders Prospect Report: April 29, 2024

Welcome to the Islanders Prospect Report, a weekly roundup of the Islanders' junior, collegiate and European prospects. Visit our In the System page for more prospect content. 

Here are this week's updates on Islanders prospects:

GILL’S HAT TRICK POWERS GAME 2 WIN 

Have yourself a night, Justin Gill. 

The Islanders’ 2023 fifth-round pick (98th overall) scored a hat trick on Saturday, pacing the Baie-Comeau Drakkar to a 5-3 win over the Cape Breton Eagles to take a 2-0 series advantage in the QMJHL Semi-Finals.

Gill was a major factor in protecting his team’s undefeated status, powering their 10th consecutive win in comeback fashion. 

After the Drakkar found themselves in an early 2-0 hole in the first period, Gill got to work. The 20-year-old forward found the back of the net with a nifty redirection in the slot and followed up with his second goal of the game with a slap shot from the right circle on the power play to tie the game at two apiece in the second period. 

The Eagles regained the lead quickly after, but Gill used a wrister to tie the score for the second time of the game, earning his first career playoff hat trick. The Drakkar added two more goals to secure the Game 2 victory.

Gill’s five-game point streak marks his longest in his postseason career, with 13 points (6G, 7A) over that span. His 20 points in the playoffs leads the team. 

Gill and the Drakkar are up two games to none as playoff action continues on Monday at 7 p.m. for Game 3. 

GEORGE AND KNIGHTS TAKE 2-0 SERIES LEAD 

Make it 10 in a row. 

Isaiah George and the undefeated London Knights earned a 3-1 win over the Saginaw Spirit on Sunday afternoon to take a 2-0 series lead in the Western Conference Final. They set a franchise record in their process, winning their 10th consecutive game to begin the playoffs.

George, who the Islanders drafted 98th overall in the fourth round of the 2022 NHL Draft, has not picked up a point in the series thus far, but has made an impact defensively. George recorded a plus-two rating in Sunday’s win and has a plus-12 rating through 10 games of the postseason. The 20-year-old defenseman has taken 21 shots over that span, eclipsing last year’s total of 20 shots through 20 games. 

After winning both home games to start the series, George and the Knights are two wins away from the J. Ross Robertson Cup Finals. The series now shifts to Michigan, where the Knights will face the Spirit on the road for Game 3 on Monday. 

MACHU, PHANTOMS ELIMINATED FROM CLARK CUP PLAYOFFS

Tomas Machu and the Youngstown Phantoms exited the 2024 Clark Cup Playoffs in a 2-0 loss to the Dubuque Fighting Saints in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

The Phantoms dropped a 2-1 overtime loss on Tuesday in Game 3 of their best-of-five series and were eliminated on Wednesday in a 2-0 shutout.

The Islanders’ 2021 seventh-round pick (221st overall) did not hit the scoresheet in either contest, but had a solid postseason overall. Through seven games of his third playoff run, the 21-year-old defenseman established a career-best three points (1G, 2A).

It marked Machu's final season in the USHL, as the 21-year-old committed to playing at Providence College for the 2024-25 season. He completed his USHL career with 37 points in 151 games – all for the Phantoms – across three seasons. Machu finished with a postseason resume of five points (1G, 4A) through 16 playoff games.

STATS

CHL:

Isaiah George | London (OHL) | 68GP, 6G, 24A, 30P, 54PIM

Isaiah George | London (Playoffs) | 8GP, 3G, 3A, 6P, 0PIM

Justin Gill | Drakkar de Baie-Comeau (QMJHL) | 65GP, 40G, 58A, 98P, 64PIM

Justin Gill | Drakkar de Baie-Comeau (Playoffs) | 10GP, 9G, 11A, 20P, 12PIM

USHL:

Tomas Machu | Youngstown | 60GP, 1G, 16A, 17P, 72PIM

Tomas Machu | Playoffs | 7GP, 1G, 2A, 3P, 6PIM