OHL In The System: New York Islanders

The latest instalment of OHL In The System takes a closer look at the New York Islanders.

This 32-part series spotlights OHL players who are either signed to an NHL or AHL contract or are recently drafted, and are 25 years old or younger with 50 or fewer NHL games played.

Join us for OHL In The System!

Kyle MacLean (C) – Oshawa Generals (2015-20)
Signed: June 19, 2024
Age: 25
The New York Islanders signed forward Kyle MacLean to a three-year contract on June 19, 2024. The 25-year-olf forward made his NHL debut last season with the Islanders, scoring nine points in 32 games. He also scored a goal in his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut and went on to play in every game during the Islanders’ first-round series. A native of Basking Ridge, NJ and the son of former long-time NHL forward and Oshawa Generals graduate John MacLean, he has appeared in 200 AHL games with the Bridgeport Islanders over the past four seasons, totaling 81 points. Selected by the Oshawa Generals in the fourth round of the 2015 OHL Priority Selection, MacLean recorded 156 points in 278 regular season games, serving as team captain from 2018-20.

Jesse Nurmi (LW) – London Knights (2024-25)
Signed: June 12, 2024
Age: 19
Selected by the London Knights in the 2024 CHL Import Draft, Jesse Nurmi committed to the club on July 24, 2024. A native of Valkeala, Finland, Nurmi was a fourth round selection of the New York Islanders in the 2023 NHL Draft and signed his entry level contract on June 12, 2024. Nurmi spent a shortened season with KooKoo of Liiga in 2023-24 splitting time with the U20 club where he registered 10 points in 25 games played. Nurmi represented Finland at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship this past January, recording two points in six contests.

Isaiah George (D) – London Knights (2021-24)
Signed: September 13, 2023
OHL Career Stats: 189 Games Played | 19 Goals | 56 Assists | 75 Points
Age: 20
Originally selected by the New York Islanders in the fourth round of the 2022 NHL Draft, London Knights defenceman Isaiah George signed a three-year entry-level contract with the club on September 13, 2023. Chosen in the sixth round of the 2020 OHL Priority Selection by London, the 20-year-old Oakville, Ont. native has tallied 75 points in 189 regular season games played over three OHL seasons. Helping London hoist the J. Ross Robertson Cup as 2023-24 OHL champions, George registered 30 points in 68 regular season games played, along with 12 points in 18 playoff contests. George also helped London reach the OHL Championship Series a year prior, adding three assists in 20 post-season contests in 2022-23 to be crowned a Western Conference champion.

Matthew Maggio (RW) – Ottawa 67’s (2018-2019), Windsor Spitfires (2019-23)
Signed: May 1, 2023
OHL Career Stats: 212 Games Played | 99 Goals | 118 Assists | 217 Points
Age: 21
Selected by the Islanders in the fifth round of the 2022 NHL Draft, Matthew Maggio signed a three-year entry-level contract with the organization on May 1, 2023. The Tecumseh, Ont. native spent the 2023-24 season with the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders, tallying 27 points in 61 games played. Originally selected by the Ottawa 67’s in the fifth round of the 2020 OHL Priority Selection, Maggio played his rookie season in the capital before spending the next three seasons in Windsor. Appearing in 212 regular season OHL games between the 67’s and the Spitfires, the 21-year-old forward tallied 99 goals, 118 assists and 217 points. He added 19 points in 29 career OHL playoff games, including a 25-game run in 2022 that helped Windsor reach the OHL Finals. Maggio was presented the Red Tilson Trophy as the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player, The Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy as the OHL’s Top Point-Getter and the Leo Lalonde Trophy as the OHL’s Top Overage Player in 2023 to close out his successful OHL career.

Tristan Lennox (G) – Saginaw Spirit (2018-23)
Signed: Mar. 1, 2023
OHL Career Stats: 121 Games Played | 59-45-5-4 Record | 3.26 G.A.A. | .887 SV% | 4 Shutouts
Age: 21
Tristan Lennox developed into a third round pick by the Islanders in 2021, benefitting from an overage season in the OHL with Saginaw in 2022-23. One of the highlights of Lennox’s OHL career came on Mar. 2nd, 2023 in Peterborough when he stopped all 59 shots he faced in a 2-0 shutout win over the Petes. A product of Cambridge, Ont., Lennox was a 2020 Hlinka Gretzky Cup silver medalist with Canada. He spent his first pro season with the ECHL’s Worcester Railers, going 5-6-2 with a 2.94 goals-against average and .909 save percentage over 13 games.

Tomorrow’s edition of In The System, features the Vegas Golden Knights organization!