Islanders Draft Gustafsson for Defense

The Islanders snagged a blue-line beast at 13 in the 2026 draft—Malte Gustafsson, a 6’4”, 220-pound Swedish defenseman from HV71. Projected top-20 talent, he’s a two-way force who uses his size to disrupt, skate smart, and contribute offensively. Inspired by Makar and Hughes, he’s a physical, puck-skilled defender with elite zone control and turnover ability. Committed to Sweden next season, he’s poised to be a top-four NHL defenseman—perfect for a team needing depth and grit on the back end. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/4d0f9b0d957457c4