Islanders Season Recap: Eklund Debuts, Horvat Hits 300
The New York Islanders wrapped up their NHL season with a 2-1 loss to the Hurricanes on Tuesday, but the finale still delivered a meaningful snapshot of the club’s future. In an otherwise low-stakes game, first-round pick Victor Eklund made his NHL debut and collected his first career point, while Bo Horvat reached a major scoring milestone with his 300th goal.
Eklund’s first game brought a bright spot to the Islanders season recap
Eklund, the 16th overall pick in last summer’s draft, was recalled for the season-ending game and learned of the opportunity the night before. He called his family in Sweden after getting the news, then took the ice in front of his parents, who flew in from Sweden to be there in time for the debut.
The 16-year-old prospect rewarded that trip quickly. He earned a secondary assist on the passing sequence that finished with Horvat’s goal, giving him his first NHL point in his first NHL game. Eklund logged 15:30 of ice time and skated on the top line with Horvat and Simon Holmstrom, showing energy and a willingness to battle for pucks even in a game that had little impact on the standings.
After the game, Eklund described the moment as surreal, saying it felt like a dream to share the ice with players such as Mat Barzal and Horvat. For an Islanders season recap that otherwise ended without playoff stakes, his debut offered a clear reason for optimism.
Horvat’s milestone goal came with a keepsake gesture
Horvat’s finish marked the 300th goal of his NHL career, a milestone that would normally come with the puck heading straight to the locker room as a souvenir. Instead, Horvat made sure Eklund kept the puck from his first point.
He said no one forgets their first NHL game or first NHL point, and he had already told the trainers that Eklund should receive the puck. That gesture fit the tone of the night: a veteran leader helping a young teammate mark the start of his career while the team closed the book on another season.
Roster notes close the book on the season
Tuesday’s lineup also featured a few final-season adjustments. Kyle MacLean, Marc Gatcomb and Ryan Pulock came out of the lineup to make room for Eklund, Liam Foudy and Isaiah George. The Islanders said Pulock had been dealing with several injuries.
There was also movement in the organization’s goaltending depth. Semyon Varlamov was assigned to AHL Bridgeport on an LTIR conditioning loan, opening the door for a possible return to game action with the minor league club. Varlamov has not played an NHL game since Black Friday 2024 and has undergone two knee replacements. Bridgeport’s next game is Wednesday night in Hartford.
George told The Post that he expects to play playoff games with Bridgeport, adding another layer to the Islanders season recap as the organization shifts from the NHL schedule to the AHL postseason picture.
What the final game says about the Islanders’ outlook
Beyond the final score, the season-ending loss highlighted several important details about the roster. Matthew Schaefer, Anders Lee, Emil Heineman and Adam Pelech all finished the season with 82 games played, and that was the first time all of them reached that mark except Lee. Pelech’s previous full-season total came in the shortened 2021 COVID campaign, when he played all 56 games.
For the Islanders, the closing night served as both a finish line and a preview. Eklund’s debut suggested he is ahead of schedule and could push for an NHL job in training camp. DeBoer said the young winger has a strong motor, is relentless in puck battles and reminds him a bit of Logan Stankoven, whom he coached in Dallas. The coach also stressed the value of Eklund getting a real taste of NHL pace before heading into the offseason.
That experience may matter as much as anything else from this Islanders season recap. Eklund now knows he can compete at this level, and the team can head into the summer with a clearer view of one of its top prospects, Horvat’s continued production and a handful of roster questions to monitor.
