Summer vacations find themselves well underway across the NHL. While small matters of business remain active, the big news is finished. On Wednesday, the league will unveil its 2025-26 Schedule.

Today, the league unveiled a triple-header for opening night. For the New York Islanders, all that seemingly remains is a contract for Maxim Tsyplakov.

Following this summer, so much of the Islanders’ focus turns toward the future. One year ago, a five-year outlook for the Islanders looked quite bleak. Now? It’s as bright as can be. The Athletic released its newest Top 100 Drafted NHL Prospects list. No surprise, Matthew Schaefer is the top prospect in the NHL.

While a team like the Blackhawks holds seven top-100 prospects, the Islanders currently have five. All five landed within the top 35 of the NHL. Chicago, for example, holds those seven. Of them, only three find themselves inside the top 50.

No team in the NHL has more than three players listed inside the top 50 prospects. The Islanders hold an astounding five.

Next year, the Islanders hold two more first-round picks in the draft. According to oddsmakers, the Islanders could be right back in the lottery again. That would give the Islanders a massive opportunity to even further bolster their prospect pool.

There’s one player in particular who possesses clear top-three talent, but in The Athletic’s Way-Too-Early Mock Draft, he slipped to 11th overall.

Viggo Bjorck

First, with a projected 8th-12th overall pick, the Islanders could select C Viggo Björck, of Djurgårdens. Björck would be an absolute coup in that range and would become another high-end prospect for the Islanders. He’s only 5’9, which is the only reason he won’t be taken in the top three next season.

From The Athletic: “Björck is small at 5-foot-9, but every other aspect of his game is excellent. He’s a very quick skater who competes at a high level and can push the pace. He’s extremely skilled and intelligent. He sees plays others don’t and controls the puck when he’s on the ice. He plays through contact very well and attacks the net despite his size.”

The Islanders drafted Victor Eklund from Djurgårdens a few weeks ago. Why not double down? Björck, at his ceiling, could be a first-line center with awe-striking offensive talent. He fits into how Mathieu Darche wants his team to be fast, skilled, defensively responsible, and could be an elite addition to the Islanders’ prospect pool.

To compare, Björck put up 27 goals and 74 points in 42 games in the Swedish J20 Nationell. At the same age one year prior, Eklund posted seven goals and 25 points across 30 games.

What’s clear is Björck’s immense and jaw-dropping talent. There’s a strong chance both Eklund and Björck play on the senior Djugårdens team this upcoming season. If scouts continue to count out Björck solely due to his size, the Islanders should pounce next June.