5 Prospects the NY Islanders should target at Pick No. 49 in the NHL Draft

William Whitelaw

Committed to the University of Wisconsin, William Whitelaw is such an intriguing prospect, especially where the Islanders are picking. What the 5’9 Whitelaw brings to the table is all the intangibles that the aging Islanders desperately need. He possesses an elite competitive spirit, along with shifty speed, and a high-end shot. 

At worst, you’re getting a Casey Cizikas clone, and his ceiling is a Yanni Gourde/Jason Blake-type player. Obviously his size is not ideal, but as we’ve seen with many players before, size never tells the whole story. With a player like Whitelaw, a lot of his shortcomings will be canceled out due to his work ethic. Smaller players succeed with a motor - just look at how successful Gourde has been.