The Bridgeport Islanders, American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, have signed 2020 sixth-round draft pick Matias Rajaniemi, forward Matt Kopperud, and defenseman Cam McDonald for the 2024-25 season.
Rajaniemi will join Bridgeport on an amateur tryout agreement (ATO) for the remainder of the 2023-24 season. The 21-year-old defenseman was selected by the New York Islanders with the 183rd overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. He recorded eight assists in 53 games with SaiPa of Liiga (Finland) earlier this season. Rajaniemi totaled 30 points (four goals, 26 assists) in 200 Liiga games over parts of five seasons from 2019-24.
A native of Lahti, Finland, Rajaniemi won a silver medal with Finland during the 2022 World Junior Championships. He helped Finland capture a bronze medal in 2021.
Kopperud, 24, joined Bridgeport on an amateur tryout agreement (ATO) on Mar. 20th. He completed a four-year career at Arizona State University earlier this month, where he led the Sun Devils with a career-high 23 goals, tying the program’s single-season record. He added 13 assists for 36 points in 38 games while serving as an alternate captain.
The Denver native totaled 107 points (64 goals, 43 assists) in 118 career games with Arizona State. He finished as the No. 4 power-play goal scorer in the NCAA record books (42). Prior to joining the Sun Devils, Kopperud played one season with the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League (USHL). He had 41 points (17 goals, 24 assists) in 46 games during the 2019-20 campaign.
McDonald, 23, completed a five-year career at Providence College earlier this month, recording seven points (one goal, six assists) in 29 games while serving as team captain. He set a new career high in assists and matched his career high for points.
A native of Eagle River, Arkansas, McDonald totaled 31 points (nine goals, 22 assists) in 162 career games with the Friars. Prior to joining Providence, he notched 15 points (three goals, 12 assists) in 59 games with the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the United States Hockey League (USHL) and 39 points (two goals, 37 assists) in 59 games with the Kenai River Brown Bears of the North American Hockey League (NAHL).