This week marked Isaiah George’s fifth rookie camp, and one way or another, it has to be his last.

On training camp eve, that feels like a theme for George. His situation has been static for too long. The Islanders know it. And while he knows better than to admit it, George knows it, too.

Ever since his first rookie camp back in 2022, he’s looked like someone with real potential. Ever since he played 33 games with the Islanders in 2024-25, George has looked like someone with an NHL future.

It is nobody’s fault that poorly timed injuries prevented George from getting what likely would have been an extended shot with the Islanders last season, when they needed defensive reinforcements for just about the duration. But it is now the final year of his entry-level deal, and everyone has to figure out what they have here.