The NY Islanders may have picked up a sleeper with their 2026 5th round pick

Going into the 2026 NHL Draft, the NY Islanders needed right-handed defensemen. Selecting LHD Malte Gustafsson with their first round pick, Mathieu Darche and his team of scouts addressed the right side of the blue line in the fourth round selecting Lincoln Kuehne, and Vladimir Dravecky in the fifth round.

Kuehne, who will play NCAA hockey this season at Arizona State, could not join the team at training camp. Dravecky, who didn’t attend development camp due to visa issues, made an impact on the organization throughout training camp and in his one preseason game.

In the Islanders' pre-season matchup with the NJ Devils, the lineup consisted mostly of young players and prospects for both sides. Dravecky played the point on the Islanders' first power-play unit, leaving his mark on the game.

Displaying his puck-moving ability throughout the contest, Dravecky recorded the primary assist on the Islanders’ only goal. With CalRitchie sliding to the point on the man advantage, Dravecky moved to the wing, making a one-touch pass to Cole Eiserman, who hammered home the one-timer.

"We threw him right in, running the first power play & gave him a lot of ice time,” head coach Pete DeBoer said. “That's his first real pro hockey game. He's probably the youngest kid on the ice, one of them for sure. I thought he did a great job. He's had a great camp."

Dravecky was assigned to the Guelph Storm of the OHL yesterday along with other Islanders prospects. With another season of junior eligibility, Dravecky was always going to play the season in Guelph, where he’ll play in the Memorial Cup later this season.

Leaving his mark in this camp, Dravecky will have the opportunity to do it again next year before turning pro.

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