The NY Islanders trade draft picks for more draft picks at the 2024 NHL Draft

For the fifth consecutive season, the New York Islanders have traded their first-round pick, but this time, they did it for another first-round pick in the same draft. In a trade that can be fairly categorized as strange, GM Lou Lamoriello acquired the No. 20, 54, and 61 picks in this year's NHL Draft from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for the team’s first-round pick (No. 18) and second-round pick (No. 50). The Isles were without a third-round pick in this year's draft after trading it to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Pierre Engvall at the March 2023 trade deadline.

In another twist to this weird seal, last June at the NHL Draft, the Islanders traded Josh Bailey and a 2026 2nd-round pick to the Blackhawks for future considerations. Now, they get a second-round pick back from the Blackhawks for the price of moving back a few spots in the first and second rounds.

The extra second rounder gives the Islanders more assets to work with if they are looking to made a trade to acquire a player or are in need of a "sweetener" for another team to take on a contract with multiple years left on it. Either way, it's hard to look at the deal as anything but a win for the Islanders and a bit of a head-scratcher from Chicago given the uncertainty of the draft and how it would be nearly impossible for them to have certainty as to which player would be available at No. 18 that wouldn't be available at No. 20.

Pick No. 54 originally belonged to the Los Angeles Kings but was acquired by the Philadelphia Flyers in a three-way deal before it was sent to the Blackhawks in a trade of draft picks last June. Meanwhile, pick No. 61 was acquired by Chicago from the Canucks along with Jason Dickinson in a deal that sent Riley Stillman to Vancouver on Oct. 7, 2022.