NY Islanders select Cole Eiserman No. 20 overall in the 2024 NHL Draft

Making a first-round selection for the first time since 2019, the NY Islanders selected Cole Eiserman with the 20th pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.

Lou Lamoriello ultimately didn't trade the pick in exchange for a goal scorer, so he decided to draft one instead.

Eiserman was considered one of the top prospects in this year's draft, contending with Macklin Cellebrini for the first overall pick. Then his stock began to plummet.

Considered the most natural goal scorer in the draft, Eiserman set the USNTDP program record with 127 goals, edging out Cole Caufield. He's deadly from all corners of the ice, with his one-timer being his biggest weapon. The knock on Eiserman is that he doesn't necessarily have a 'B' game.

While his goal-scoring is elite, he's not much of a playmaker. Most of his goals come off the pass as he finds space in open ice.

If he can find a secondary asset to add to his game, this could potentially be a steal for the Islanders at No. 20. The organization has been missing someone who can tally 40+ goals a season since Ziggy Palffy and Eiserman has the potential to become that guy.

If he doesn't find ways to contribute when he's not scoring goals, Eiserman could potentially look like two former Islanders first-round picks in Oliver Wahlstrom and Kieffer Bellows.

Still only 17 years old, Eiserman has time to continue to grow before stepping on NHL ice. He'll attend Boston University next season, where he'll become one of the top weapons for the Terriers. Boston has churned out some special players over the last few years, including this year's first-overall pick Macklin Cellebrini.

"This is definitely a really cool feeling and I am excited to be an Islander," Eiserman said on ESPN after the Islanders' selection.

It's still too early to tell, but Eiserman could potentially be the steal of the draft at No. 20 - or, he can become another goalscorer who didn't work out.