Bruins claim RW Oliver Wahlstrom from Islanders
Whether Wahlstrom is the answer to the Bruins’ prayers is another question. A one-and-done at Boston College after being chosen by the Islanders in the 2018 draft, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound Wahlstrom has not been able to produce at the NHL level as the Islanders had hoped. His most productive season was in 2021-22, when he had 13-11-24 totals. He has 36-35-71 totals in 220 NHL games. He played 35 games in 2022-23 before he tore his ACL, an injury that ended his season. He was limited to 32 games last season. He has two goals and two assists in 27 games this year.
At the time of the team’s morning skate in Vancouver, coach Joe Sacco did not know when Wahlstrom would be joining the team. It sounds like he’ll be used to help the team’s 32nd-ranked power play.
“Just from knowing the player a little bit… the one thing that sticks to my mind is a good shot, a guy that can probably score some goals and pretty good on the elbow or the bumper on the power play because of that shot that he has,” Sacco told reporters in Vancouver.
It also sounds like he he’ll get a look somewhere in the top nine forwards.
“If he’s going to be a guy that can help us offensively, he’s going to have to be put in a role where he has an opportunity,” said Sacco. “Maybe that’s somewhere up in the lineup, we’ll see. Could be the third line with (Charlie Coyle and Trent Frederic). I just don’t know yet. And then maybe one of the power play (units). I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself here, but certainly when you pick up a player like that, you want to give him the best opportunity to succeed when he joins us.”
Wahlstrom’s skating and shot made him the high draft pick that he was. Now he has to find a way to utilize those tools.
“He’s got to find his ice out there, whether it’s off the rush or in-zone,” said Sacco. “He’s got to be able to create some space for himself, just like goal-scorers do in this league. And I’m not comparing him to other people, but if he’s going to be a guy who can help us offensively, he’s got to find his ice in the offensive zone, he’s got to make that off the rush he’s putting the puck towards the net. Any opportunities he has, we want to see if we can build confidence for him offensively as well.”