CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Oscar Plandowski had a decision to make.
He was attending bantam tryouts and playing both forward – a position he played predominantly growing up – and defence, which he’d played during spring hockey.
“I just chose defence and never looked back,” he said. “Making a switch wasn't easy actually and a lot of people didn't want me to switch, but I think it was the right decision for me.”
Fast-forward three years and Plandowski is a highly regarded rookie with the Charlottetown Islanders after an August trade kept the Halifax native in the Maritimes. He will play his first game at the Eastlink Centre tonight when the Islanders host the Saint John Sea Dogs at 7 p.m. as the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) pre-season winds down.
Plandowski said his time as a forward helps him see the ice differently in his new role, but he acknowledged his limited time on the blue-line means he’s still learning the intricate parts of the position.
“I am looking forward to learning the position and making strides (to improve),” he said.
Head coach Jim Hulton said Plandowski is still raw but the skill and will are there.
“There’s a tremendous amount of growth still to come but we’ve been really impressed with how receptive he is to coaching. You can already see improvement,” he said. “When a kid has a base of natural talent and a willingness to learn, usually the upside is pretty good.”
Given the position change, the Islanders see his ceiling being even higher than a player his age who has more experience at the position.
“He’s so raw as a defender. He’s going to learn to use his feet as a defensive weapon,” Hulton said.
Plandowski was ranked 13th overall heading into June’s QMJHL draft but slid to Chicoutimi at 18 as he had NCAA options.
He attended Selects Academy in Connecticut last season after playing in Edmonton in 2017-18. It meant limited viewings for the Islanders until the staff all got to see him play at the QMJHL draft combine in Blainville, Que., this spring.
“Immediately his mobility jumped out at you,” Hulton said.
They had discussions with the family but knew he had verbally committed to Quinnipiac, an NCAA division 1 school in Connecticut.
The Islanders didn't have a first-round pick in June’s draft and didn’t anticipate Plandowski would be there when they picked towards the end of the second round.
They were right.
Chicoutimi selected Plandowski and the Islanders kept in touch with the Sagueneens to see if he would be available. It was a bit of a rollercoaster as the teams had different discussions during the off-season.
“There were moments right up until the 11th hour when I thought the deal was dead, but, fortunately for us, it came to fruition and we got a guy we had earmarked all along,” Hulton said.
The deal was announced on Aug. 1 as Plandowski was attending Canada’s under-17 camp in Calgary. His father Darryl, an assistant director of scouting with the Tampa Bay Lightning, called to give him the news. His mother is a well-known power skating coach who has put on clinics for the Island professionals.
Plandowski was planning on playing junior A in Western Canada before the deal with Charlottetown was made.
“Being so close to home and (with) such a great organization was something that was too hard to pass up,” he said.
The Islanders see a bright future for Plandowski but are also pumping the brakes a bit, knowing there is an adjustment from midget to junior.
“We think his trajectory is really, really big, (but) we want to make sure we temper those expectations, especially in the first half of his first year,” Hulton said.
The team is also trying manage the comparisons to defenceman Lukas Cormier, who the Islanders drafted fourth overall in 2018 and quickly worked his way onto the top pair.
“I think we all have to safeguard against comparing Oscar to Lukas because they’re not the same kid, they’re not the same player,” Hulton said. “(But) we’re excited about his upside.”
The bench boss mentioned to associate coach Guy Girourard, who handles the defence, during a recent pre-season game that the rookie looked like a sophomore.
“He just looked comfortable on the ice, comfortable with the puck and (making) those decisions,” Hulton said.
The Islanders are looking to insulate Plandowski and two 17-year-old defencemen in Anthony Hamel and William Trudeau by using their four returnees. Plandowski has been paired during camp with overager Brendon Clavelle.
“He’s been awesome to show me the ropes,” Plandowski said of Clavelle.
The rookie has also had the chance to pick Cormier’s brain about the position and the pressure that comes with being a high draft pick as the two drive to and from the rink together on daily basis.
Plandowski has also had a couple of familiar faces in the room as learns his way around the Islanders’ organization. Halifax goalie Jacob Goobie is a rookie on the Isles and the two first played together when they were five years old.
“It’s cool to be with him here,” Plandowski said.
The defenceman also played minor hockey growing up with Zach Welsh, the younger brother of Islanders’ goalie Matthew.
Need to know
Oscar Plandowski
Who – A 16-year-old Halifax native who plays hockey for the Charlottetown Islanders.
Height, weight, position – Six-foot-one, 176-pound defenceman.
Draft – The Chicoutimi Sagueneens selected him 18th overall in June’s draft.
Trade – The Islanders traded a first-round pick in 2020 and a second-round pick in 2022 for Plandowski on Aug. 1.
Plandowski said: “I like to chip in offensively and join the rush when I can, but I think I am still reliable defensively and can make that good first pass.”
Head coach Jim Hulton said: “He’s quiet, he’s mature and he’s professional already.”
Upcoming games – The Islanders host Saint John tonight at 7 p.m. and close out the pre-season Sunday in Moncton. The regular season begins Friday, Sept. 20, when the Moncton Wildcats come to town for a 7:30 p.m. contest.
Starting goalie – Jacob Goobie gets the start tonight for the Islanders.
