Breaking: Former Islanders 1st-Rounder Oliver Wahlstrom Signs PTO

Oliver Wahlstrom signs deal with San Jose Sharks

Unrestricted free agent and former first-round pick Oliver Wahlstrom has signed a professional tryout deal to head to the Western Conference for the first time, with the San Jose Sharks.

Hearing the San Jose Sharks have signed free agent Oliver Wahlstrom to a PTO.
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) September 16, 2025

Wahlstrom, 25, spent the first 5 1/2 years of his NHL career with the New York Islanders, and was acquired by the Boston Bruins via waivers last December. But he underwhelmed in Beantown, and they ended up placing him on waivers in February, which he cleared, and was sent to the AHL. After the season, he did not receive a qualifying offer from the Bruins, making him an unrestricted free agent.

The fourth-line, depth forward played just 43 games last season split between the Isles and the Bruins, averaging 10:14 TOI in those contests, and recording six points.

The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Wahlstrom was selected with the 11th overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft by the Islanders, and accumulated 71 points in 220 games there. He added just two points after arriving in Boston, across 16 games. He was sent down to their AHL affiliate in Providence, where he actually fared well, recording nine goals and 15 points in 19 games. He added another three goals in seven playoff contests with Providence.

He does have two double-digit goal seasons on this resume, from 2020-21 and 2021-22, and even handed out 101 hits in 73 games in '21-'22. He'll try to recapture that form, and that of his strong AHL peformance, in order to earn a job with the Sharks.