Islanders Ink Three Rookie Forwards
May 28, 2020
The New York Islanders announced Thursday three organizational signings; Felix Bibeau, Cole Coskey and Blade Jenkins.
All three forwards will be eligible to play in the American Hockey League with the Bridgeport Islanders beginning in 2020-21.
Bibeau, the Islanders sixth-round pick (178th overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft, established career highs in points (70) and goals (29) in 63 games last season in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The Mercier, QC native started his fifth QMJHL season with the Quebec Remparts, who traded him to the Chicoutimi Sagueneens in December. When the QMJHL season was halted, the Sagueneens had already clinched the top spot in their division and Bibeau ranked third on the team in points, goals and assists (41). League-wide, he tied for 21st overall in both points and assists. In 245 career QMJHL games with Chicoutimi, Quebec and the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, Bibeau scored 214 points (84 goals, 130 assists). He added 29 points (15 goals, 20 assists) in 40 QMJHL Playoff games, including 29 points (14 goals, 15 assists) in 2019 as Rouyn-Noranda won the QMJHL Championship. The Huskies went on to capture the 2019 Memorial Cup, where Bibeau scored a tournament-high five goals and was named to the Memorial Cup All-Star Team.
Coskey, the Islanders seventh-round pick (209th overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft, established career highs in points (80), goals (34) and assists (46) in 62 games last season with the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League. The Zion, IL native ranked second on Saginaw in points and assists and finished third on the team in goals, including a team-high 11 power-play goals. League wide, Coskey tied for 16th overall in points and tied for 18th in goals. In 302 career games over five seasons with Saginaw, Coskey recorded 235 points (106 goals, 129 assists). He added 10 points (five goals, five assists) in 21 OHL Playoff games, including eight points (three goals, five assists) during run to the 2019 OHL semi-finals.
Jenkins, the Islanders fifth-round pick (134th overall) in the 2018 NHL Draft, scored 40 points (16 goals, 24 assists) in 47 games last season with the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League. The Jackson, MI native posted a career-high plus-12 rating in his third season with Saginaw. In 182 career OHL games, Jenkins recorded 143 points (59 goals, 84 assists). He posted career highs in goals (23), assists (36) and points (59) in 2018-19 and was named to the OHL All-Rookie Team in 2017-18. Jenkins added 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 21 OHL Playoff games, including nine points (five goals, four assists) during the Spirit’s 17-game run to the 2019 OHL semi-finals. Prior to his OHL career, Jenkins spent the 2016-17 season with the United States National Team Development Program.