The move the Islanders didn't make is not sitting well with fans

All the focus on Friday night for the Islanders has centered around picking Matthew Schaefer with the first overall pick in the 2025 draft. From stories about his heartbreaking backstory to the impact Schaefer will have in his first year, everything not surrounding Schaefer seems insignificant. However, that is not the prevailing sentiment among the Islanders' fan base. It's the move the Isles did not make that's causing a lot of bitter feelings among fans.

The Islanders are upset at the front office for a move that was never made

During the draft process, Schaefer was not guaranteed to be the number one pick when the Islanders won the lottery. There were several players the Islanders were considering taking first overall. The one that generated the most hype was James Hagens. The 18-year-old center was a native of Hauppauge, New York, and grew up a diehard Islanders fan. It seemed like a match made in heaven, the local kid turning his childhood team back into a contender.

Even when it appeared evident that Schaefer was going to be the pick, fans did not give up on the dream of drafting the Long Island native. There were lots of rumors swirling that the Islanders were trying to move back up into the top five to get him. However, that trade never came, and when the Bruins came on the clock, the dream was officially over.

Clearly, fans at the draft party were not to happy about the Long Islander shipping up to Boston. Even the many carnival rides and games could not distract from the fact that they lost out on the perfect player to represent their franchise. Plus the fact that Adam Sandler annouceded the pick as Happy Gilmore did not make it easier. This settement was felt on Twitter/X as well.

While many are seeing Hagens going to the Bruins as the end of him going to the Islanders, so fans are holding out hope. There is a section of the fanbase that hope he pulls an "Adam Fox" and force his way to the Islanders. While this would be a dream come true, it seems more like wishful thinking rather than something that will actually happen.

Although Islanders fans can be upset they did not get someone that was "one of them", this shouldn't take away from what the team did. This Islanders team is a lot better than it was just 24 hours ago, and there is still a lot of work to be done this offseason.