New York Islanders Re-Drafting 2011 NHL Entry Draft

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EDMONTON, AB – JANUARY 25: Johnny Gaudreau #13 of the Calgary Flames skates against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place on January 25, 2018 in Edmonton, Canada. (Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images) /

Round Three – 63rd Overall Pick

NYI Pick: Andrey Pedan
Pick they should have made: Vincent Trocheck (64th overall FLA)

With a 6’5″ frame I’m sure Snowsaw a defender with size who could skate. He didn’t score buckets, but that’s fine. Pedan had the size the NHL required.

Except Pedan would never pan out. He’d play 13 games in the NHL, but with the Vancouver Canucks. The Isles would get a prospect and a third-round pick for Pedan in 2013.

But available was 62 points in 68 games for the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL, Vincent Trocheck. The 5’10” winger would be selected with the 64th pick and go on to score 212 points in a 310 game NHL career that’s only getting better.

Last season, Trocheck had 31 goals and 75 points as the Florida Panthers just missed out on the playoffs.

Round Four – 95th Overall Pick

NYI Pick: Robbie Russo
Pick they should have made: Johnny Gaudreau (104th overall CGY)

By the fourth-round, NHL teams should be taking risks. By then they already should their bluechip prospects, it’s time to take a flyer on a player with talent, but with an unfortunate knock on his game. Like size.

If we’ve learned anything thanks to the likes of Theo Fleury or Martin St-Louis, it’s that size isn’t a barrier for talent. The Islanders should have jumped on 5’9″ 150lbs Johnny Gaudreau.

With 72 points in 60 games for the Dubuque Fighting Saints in his draft year, the talent was there for everyone to see. Now it’s on full display in the NHL. In 312 NHL games, Gaudreau has 288 points.

With Russo, the Isles had a standardly sized blueliner at 6’0″ tall who would never play in the NHL for them.