Bruins claim Oliver Wahlstrom off waivers

A player is moving off Long Island.

On Saturday, the Boston Bruins claimed forward Oliver Wahlstrom off waivers from the New York Islanders.

Wahlstrom was placed on waivers alongside (now former) teammate Pierre Engvall on Friday. Engvall cleared and is expected to be assigned to the Islanders’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Bridgeport Islanders.

Wahlstrom, a dual citizen of the United States and Sweden, is on a one-year contract with a $1 million cap hit. He is a pending restricted free agent.

Wahlstrom had spent the entirety of his professional career with the Islanders’ organization. He was taken by the team in the first round, 11th overall, of the 2018 NHL Draft. After spending the 2019-20 season in both the NHL and AHL, the Portland, Maine native has been with New York solely for the past four years. Unfortunately, his production has subsided after a promising couple of years, including 2021-22, when Wahlstrom scored a career-high 24 points. He was often a healthy scratch during the 2023-24 campaign, appearing in just 32 games.

The 24-year-old did play in 27 of the Islanders’ first 31 games this season, scoring two goals and two assists for four points.

In 220 NHL appearances, Wahlstrom has registered 36 goals and 35 assists for 71 points, potting three points in five games during the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Prior to becoming a full-time NHLer, Wahlstrom found some success on the international stage. He won gold with the U.S. at the 2017 IIHF Men’s Under-18 World Championship, taking home silver the following year. In 2019, Wahlstrom was on the American team that was given the silver medal at the IIHF World Junior Championship.

The Bruins (15-13-3) are third in the Atlantic Division, five points out of first place.