Islanders puzzle isn't broken—just missing Misa or Schaefer to complete it

While fans should be happy regardless of who the Islanders take No. 1 overall, even the likes of Porter Martone or James Hagens, they’re best off rolling with either Michael Misa or Matthew Schaefer. One of the reasons is straightforward and even worth talking about these days, so I’ll gloss over it. 

There aren’t two better players to build around in this draft, and you probably know that. In fact, I’m sure you thought that’s what I was about to say. But no, that’s not the case here. There are more than just a few common-sense reasons why the Isles would be best off to take either Misa or Schaefer at No. 1. 

It’s because there’s still a puzzle that’s halfway put together on Long Island, so the need to toss that puzzle to the wayside shouldn’t be the only option on the board. While there are some injury concerns, Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat are still, and should remain in town. Ditto for restricted free agent, Simon Holmstrom. 

Islanders still have a decent number of core pieces in place to make a run

Put those core pieces that I listed above, and add either Misa or Schaefer to the equation. From Day 1, they should be more than an add-on. They’ll be a core piece in which we should see immediate returns. And when you count in defensemen Alexander Romanov and Noah Dobson, plus goaltender Ilya Sorokin, there’s still a good number of players on the Island to keep things running smoothly without breaking it down. 

That’s not a bad group. One that needs some serious additions, but it doesn’t mean the Islanders can’t filter out a few of them and bring in that younger talent. 

This wouldn’t translate to a team capable of making a run at the Stanley Cup or even anything past the second round of the playoffs. But, they could turn it into a St. Louis Blues situation and climb back up into playoff contention and sneak in if they added a few fresh names and moved some contracts. 

A worst-case scenario? The Islanders are a few seasons away

With the core they got, not counting some of the oldest names, the Islanders could still be a decent hockey team if they moved those older names. But, they need to draft an immediate contributor if they plan on making those moves, keeping some of the core intact, and signaling to fans that the next two to three seasons may not be as painful as some anticipate. 

And, as with the Blues, it could work in their favor. Move those older players, keep the younger core with a middle-aged player or two sticking around, draft Misa or Schaefer, and maybe even see if you can’t bring in a restricted free agent from elsewhere. The incoming group would at least give fans some entertaining moments in 2025-26 as opposed to a lot of losing. 

Ultimately, it’s up to the post-Lou Lamoriello regime to decide what they’re going to do in June and during the summer. But a less painful transition is a definite option if they want to go that route.

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