Catching Up with Isaiah George: Defenseman Recaps Rookie Season

When Isaiah George reflects on his time spent with the New York Islanders last season, he vividly remembers the excitement and atmosphere of NHL games.

“I loved coming into games. It’s lively, it’s energetic, there’s just a different buzz with NHL games,” George said. “To be up and be around that, it boosted my play.”

The defenseman’s rookie season – which featured 33 NHL games and 33 AHL games – got off to a unique start. Having played just four pro games with Bridgeport to start the season, George got the call up in light of injuries to the Isles blueline. George rose to the occasion and provided reinforcement, making his debut on Nov. 5 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. He relished the opportunity and took it one game at a time from there.

“I definitely didn’t expect for it to happen that early,” George said. “I just wanted to take advantage of the moment, you never know what could happen, so I tried to enjoy that first one and work hard. Felt like I played well and built from there.”

The Islanders’ 2022 fourth-rounder (98^th overall) made a positive impression for the big club, logging heavy minutes and quickly earning the trust of his coaches and teammates. He averaged 15:39 TOI in 33 games, including a career-high 24:07 TOI. George was thrown into a rotation of pairings, playing the most with Noah Dobson (204:01 TOI per Natural Stat Trick).

“Getting that experience was a big confidence booster for me,” George said. “It was good to gain that trust and experience what it’s like to play some important minutes up there.”

George got the chance to play for Islanders head coach Patrick Roy, who had praise for the way the young defenseman handled his first season and saw a bright future. His coaching style benefitted George, who got to see how he fits into an NHL roster.

“Roy was great. He loves to attack, an aggressive type of style which I think is good for me because I think I’m a good skater and that’s how I like to play,” George said. “I really enjoyed my time when I was up there and felt like mentality-wise, it really aligned me with how I see myself as a player and I saw what I’m good at. It was great and I loved it.”

George was returned to Bridgeport in the beginning of February, shortly before his 21^st birthday, having played 29 more NHL games than he played at the AHL level. He recorded 12 points (3G, 9A) in the second half of the season, using what he learned during his NHL experience to work on his game.

“I felt like when I went back down at the end of the season, it was good for me to be able to take what I learned when I was up and start to apply it,” George said. “The biggest thing is knowing that I can play and be successful at this level. It was good for my confidence.”

With some NHL experience, George was able to share some advice to other prospects. Prior to his first full pro season, he was coming off four seasons with the OHL London Knights, which included an OHL title victory in 2023-24. The Oakville, ON native supported the Knights during their playoff run and went to see every home game in the finals. George got to catch up with fellow Isles prospect Jesse Nurmi, the Isles’ fourth rounder in the 2023 NHL Draft (113^th overall), who helped the Knights repeat the OHL Championship and went on to win the Memorial Cup, the top prize in Canadian juniors.

“Got to see all the boys, got to see Nurmi,” George said. “We were talking about our seasons, and I told him about being an Islander and how great it is, and what to expect. I answered every question he had about that.”

When George looks back on his first season as an Islander, his favorite memory is his first NHL goal. The Oakville, ON native potted a goal against the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Dec. 21, close to his hometown where his family and friends were in attendance.

“It was definitely a really cool moment,” George said. “The dream scenario to score your first goal in your hometown. It was super special. Growing up as I always imagined myself playing there and scoring at Scotiabank. But once you start playing you never know when it’s going to happen. I was happy to get that first one and for it to be in my hometown was an extra bonus.”

George also fondly looks back on some humorous off-ice moments. As was acclimating the NHL schedule and the travel that comes with it, he learned some things the hard way.

“Right when I got called up, we went on a road trip to Western Canada and I didn’t think to bring a jacket or winter coat,” George said. “By then, the temperature was close to the negatives. I remember coming down for dinner in a tee shirt and JG Pageau leant me his coat so I could walk around in Edmonton. That was pretty funny, and the boys were chirping me about that.”

Now that George got an extended sample size of the NHL and experienced a round of milestones, he’s ready for a productive offseason with aspirations to get another crack.

“It was good baseline for me to know what I need to improve on and know what to expect next year to try and get a roster spot,” George said. “My overall game, I’ll never be content with certain skill sets or saying you don’t have to work on something anymore. I want to continue to work on everything but obviously get a little bit stronger and drive the play more. Seeing what it’s like now and being able to practice at that level and train at the NHL level will do a lot of good for me this summer.”