Islanders Prospect Eiserman Set For Next Step

Boston University’s season is over, meaning Islanders prospects Cole Eiserman and Kamil Bednarik can turn pro. Should Eiserman join Bridgeport or return to BU for another season?

Stefen Rosner, David Kolb, and The Elmonters

Mar 14, 2026

On Saturday, Boston University was eliminated from the Hockey East tournament after falling 5-3 to the University of Connecticut. That means that New York Islanders prospects Cole Eiserman (2024, No. 20) and Kamil Bedanrik (2024, No. 61) can turn pro.

Neither has signed their entry-level deal, but could join Bridgeport on Amateur Tryouts before eventually signing their ELCs after the AHL season concludes.

The question is, will they decide to join the organization, or do they want to go back to school for their junior season?

Taking nothing away from Bednarik, a two-way centerman who is likely a Jean-Gabriel Pageau or Casey Cizikas replacement down the road. But, with the Islanders still on the search for that elusive goal scorer, Eiserman developing into that kind of player for the organization would be a game-changer.

These kinds of scorers don’t grow on trees and are expensive to acquire on the open market, so having one in your pipeline is critical.

That being said, where is it more beneficial for Eiserman to continue developing?

If this were a few seasons ago, given how much of a struggle it was for prospects in Bridgeport, I would have told you Eiserman should 100% go back to school.

However, under the tutelage of Rocky Thompson, Bridgeport prospects have had a ressurgence, currently holding down a playoff spot in his first season behind the bench. Not to mention, Bridgeport would love an Eiserman-type for their playoff push and, hopefully, their playoff run.

The Islanders are working on getting Notre Dame center Danny Nelson (2023, No. 49) to turn pro with his junior season coming to a close. Left-winger Quinn Finley (2022, No. 78) and the University of Wisconsin may get a bid to the NCAA Tournament, with that announcement coming on March 22nd.

When the Islanders selected Eiserman 20th overall — he kept dropping and dropping — Lou Lamoriello told us on the draft floor in Vegas that he thought very highly of BU head coach Jay Pandolfo, a former NHL player who the Hockey Hall of Fame executive drafted 32nd overall back in the 1993 NHL Draft when he was running the New Jersey Devils.

I’m sure Islanders current general manager Mathieu Darche respects Pandolfo and what he’s accomplished as a player and now a coach, but does he hold him in the same light that Lamoriello does?

BU’s program took a dip this past season, and that dip could extend into next season. Their most prolific offensive defenseman and Eiserman’s good pal, Cole Hutson, is likely joining the Washington Capitals, who selected him back in 2024 (No. 43).

How does that affect Eiserman’s decision?

Eiserman’s shot is elite. Hearing it come off the stick at development camp was honestly amazing to see, but the concern isn’t his shot. It’s his 200-foot game that’s always been knocked. And the Islanders want to make sure they don’t fall into the Kieffer Bellows and Oliver Wahlstrom loop: players who had that elite shot yet never developed into players who could play big minutes, given flaws in other areas of their game.

What I will tell you is that Eiserman’s shot is better than those two, and what won’t show up on the stat sheet or advanced statistics is the drive and passion this kid seems to play with each and every shift.

Eiserman’s drive and work ethic should give fans confidence that he can develop that 200-foot game. His skating and hockey IQ are not the problem.

The 19-year-old has learned a lot at BU, and I don’t want to take anything away from college hockey and how awesome that is for a young player.

But I think Eiserman has gotten all he can out of BU in terms of his development and is ready to take that next step.

Turning pro will allow Eiserman to get the attention he needs from specialty coaches to become a more well-rounded player, so that in a few years, he has the chance to be a key piece, a top-flight goal scorer that the Islanders can rely on for years to come.