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Matthew Maggio, New York Islanders (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Islanders Prospect Matthew Maggio Has a Low Ceiling & That’s OK

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Mike Fink | Last updated Feb 14, 2025 10:00 AM ET

Matthew Maggio has played well for the Bridgeport Islanders in recent games. He found the back of the net in the stunning 5-1 win on Feb. 8 against the Charlotte Checkers and scored the first goal of the Feb. 12 game against the Hartford Wolf Pack, a game the Islanders would lose 4-3 in overtime.

The recent games have shown Maggio’s upside but the problem is that the season as a whole hasn’t. It’s been underwhelming for one of the best prospects in the New York Islanders system. Instead of being a bright spot on a last-place team, he’s displayed his limitations. It’s changed the outlook for him and the Islanders who hope that he can still be a part of their NHL roster someday.

Maggio’s Highs & Lows

The common theme of Maggio’s tenure in the American Hockey League (AHL) is inconsistency. It took 11 games before he found the back of the net this season. The Islanders played 12 games in January, and he only found the back of the net in the final game of the month. Then there are the stretches where he’s the Islanders’ top forward, including the recent stretch where he’s scored three goals in five games.

His on-ice play by default makes him a feast-or-famine forward. Maggio will create scoring chances and find the back of the net himself but only when he has space to operate. When teams don’t give him that space, it leaves him searching for answers. Conversely, when he’s carrying the puck on the rush, a goal is sure to follow.

It also doesn’t help that Maggio is dependent on having great linemates, something the Islanders don’t have for him. Last season, he moved around in the forward unit and played alongside Ruslan Iskhakov and William Dufour to help him rebound from a slow start and score 16 goals. This season, with all the talent on the top line, Maggio is looking for a skater to work with and hasn’t found one. It also doesn’t help that he hasn’t taken a step forward as a prospect.

Maggio Is a Fifth-Round Pick & It’s Showing This Season

The 2022 NHL Entry Draft was highlighted, at least from the Islanders’ perspective, by the draft pick general manager (GM) Lou Lamoriello didn’t make. He used the 13th overall pick to acquire Alexander Romanov who has since been a staple of the defense. He also added Calle Odelius and Isaiah George to strengthen the defense before selecting Maggio in the fifth round. The haul looked like one that would turn the farm system around, especially after Maggio put together a remarkable season in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).

The problem is that Maggio’s style of play couldn’t adapt to the AHL much less the NHL. It’s why teams passed on him in the 2022 Draft and why he’s been underwhelming since joining the AHL roster. Maggio isn’t the type of forward opponents prepare for and one that teams are worried will take over a game. He may score a goal or create one now and then, but he’s not dominant and when the game slows down, he often disappears.

Ironically, the latest game against the Wolf Pack showed Maggio’s limitations. He scored with Liam Foudy carrying the puck on the rush, and he was around to clean up the loose puck in front of the net. Then the Wolf Pack controlled the pace and dared Maggio and the Islanders to win with great puck movement in the offensive zone. He couldn’t and the team couldn’t either, and it’s why they blew a 3-1 third period lead. At the end of the day, Maggio only brings so much to the offense. However, it’s worth noting that he’s still a valuable prospect in the system.

What Maggio Brings to the Offense

Unlike most of the skaters on the Islanders, Maggio is versatile. He can score and set up scoring chances with his passing. That’s reflected in his 22 goals and 22 assists in 106 games at the AHL level. While 44 points in 106 games is underwhelming, his ability to help the offense in multiple ways hasn’t been.

Maggio’s also one of the few forwards on the team who can play both the center and wing positions. It’s allowed the Islanders to move him around in the lineup, and it goes a long way for his path to the NHL. It’s unpredictable which position will be a need in the future, but Maggio is prepared to play any, especially in the bottom six.

Islanders Can Use a Young Depth Scorer

The Islanders don’t have a great farm system. However, at the individual level, there are a few players who have a path to the NHL and some can be elite talents at the next level as well. Cole Eiserman is the top prospect and is sure to be a top-line skater someday. Alex Jefferies is the one on the AHL roster who is looking to carve out a top-six role someday. Throw in the next wave of prospects, which is headlined by Eiserman but also has Danny Nelson, Quinn Finley, and Kamil Bednarik (and possibly another top selection in the 2025 Draft), and the Islanders have prospects for the future.

The problem is that for a team that lacks depth, they don’t have a lot of young scorers who can take on bottom-six roles. Kyle MacLean and Marc Gatcomb were called up as fourth-line skaters, but they are far from scorers. Maggio is someone who can round out the offense and pair him with Dufour, another prospect who has underwhelmed but has a bottom-six future, and the Islanders have prospects to add to that depth.

Maggio isn’t a prospect that provides a lot of optimism anymore, and his ceiling is lower than many fans hoped. It doesn’t need to be high considering how the Islanders prospect pool is shaping up. All he needs to be is a contributor, and he can be that someday at the NHL level.