Islanders won’t have another NHL Draft Lottery miracle, but that’s fine

Last year, the New York Islanders were picking up the pieces of a terribly disappointing season. With the Isles clinging to playoff aspirations, they lost a 9-2 game at the hands of the rival Rangers on April 10, 2025.

Earlier, the Isles had lost six straight, won two in a row, and then lost five of their last six, including that 9-2 romp.

Despite the tough ending to the season, it still wasn’t enough to put the Islanders in top-10 NHL Draft pick territory. But they were close enough to have a shot at the top selection.

Then, a miracle happened. The Isles won the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery, landing the chance to draft Matthew Schaefer. The rest is history.

This season, however, there won’t be a chance to pull off that sort of miracle. The Islanders are 13th on the board. While they could still move up, it won’t be lightning striking twice in a row.

But that’s ultimately fine. Whether the Isles pick 10th, 13th, 3rd, or whatever, the club is in a good spot. The 2026 NHL Draft is deep enough to where the club could still land a great player at that spot.

In fact, the Isles are in such a good spot where they can afford to take the best player available. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a forward, a defenseman, or a goalie. It could be the best piece on the board at the time.

While we won’t speculate on which players the Isles could pick, at least for now, we’ll focus on the broader context of the situation.

Islanders should focus on a defenseman in the first round

If the Islanders keep their first-round pick, and there’s a chance they might trade it if a good deal comes along, they should focus on a defenseman with that pick.

Schaefer looks like he’ll be a number one guy for the long haul. Sure, his career could go sideways after an amazing rookie season. But that doesn’t seem likely. And even with solid blueline prospects on the way like Isaiah George, Kashawn Aitcheson, and Jesse Puulkkinen, the Isles could use another blueliner.

The Isles' blue line is getting long in the tooth. Mainstays like Ryan Pulock and Adam Pelech are on the wrong side of 30. Meanwhile, impending UFAs Carson Soucy and Toney DeAngelo aren’t locks to return. Scott Mayfield is 33 and not exactly getting any younger.

So, there will be an inevitable need to turn over some of the Isles’ defense corps. It wouldn’t be a stretch to see George and Warren Marshall compete for full-time jobs next season. If they make the squad, there will be a need to replenish the pipeline.

That’s what the 13th pick can help accomplish.

The NHL Draft Lottery will be on May 5. Thereafter, we’ll have confirmation on where the Islanders will pick in the first round. That knowledge should allow for a more thorough analysis of what the club could and should do.

In the meantime, it’s just a matter of scouting and prepping for the draft.

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