ESPN's Emily Kaplan reveals what the NY Islanders are avoiding during NHL Draft

As the New York Islanders sat on the clock with the 13th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft on Friday night, ESPN's Emily Kaplan may have summed up the biggest question hanging over the franchise better than anyone has all summer.

"What the Islanders are trying to do here is avoid the tear down... bridge the gap between the current superstars (Barzal, Horvat, Sorokin) and these young draft picks," Kaplan said as ESPN's cameras showed Mathieu Darche and the Islanders' draft table preparing to make their selection.

That's the plan.

The question is whether it's realistic.

Since taking over as general manager, Darche has made it clear he doesn't want to blow the roster up. He traded for Brayden Schenn. He extended JG Pageau. He shut down trade inquiries on Bo Horvat. And with Matthew Schaefer already looking like a franchise cornerstone after his Calder Trophy-winning rookie season, the organization appears committed to trying to remain competitive while simultaneously building for the future.

It's a strategy that sounds good in theory, but the reality may be something else.

The Islanders missed the playoffs for a second consecutive season last year, and on paper, it's difficult to argue they've closed the gap on the rest of the Metropolitan Division. If anything, several of their rivals have improved. That's why many projection models already have the Islanders near the bottom of the division entering next season.

Which brings us back to Kaplan's point.

Bridging the gap is probably the hardest thing to do in professional sports. You're trying to win enough games to remain relevant while also developing the next core of your franchise. Sometimes it works. More often, teams end up stuck in the middle.

That's where some of the frustration from Islanders fans comes from because the middle is where this franchise has been for the last five seasons.

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