Wyatt Cullen should be on the radar for the NY Islanders

Although the 2025-26 season did not end the way the Islanders hoped, they did get a nice consolation prize. During the NHL draft lottery, they landed the 13th overall pick in the upcoming draft. While they will not be able to get one of the premier prospects at the top of the draft, with how deep this draft class is, they will be able to get a quality prospect. Someone who can be a significant piece of the Islanders' core.

There has been a lot of discourse about who the Isles might target with this pick. There are plenty of options, but the player they should be targeting is Wyatt Cullen. He's a forward from the US National Development Team who is shooting up draft boards right now. He's gone from a potential late-round pick to a borderline top 10. But what has caused this sudden jump, and why is he the perfect fit for the Islanders?

If avaliable the Islanders need to draft Wyatt Cullen with the 13th overall pick

Cullen began to attract attention to himself in his mid-teens. He played two seasons for the Moorhead Bantam AA and impressed everyone. In 120 games for them, he racked up 109 goals and 163 assists for 272 points. This earned him a spot on the US National Team. He played for the U17 and U18 teams, tallying 22 goals and 54 assists for 76 points in 95 games. He also played in 48 games for the USNTDP Juniors, registering nine goals and 24 assists for 33 points.

Throughout his career, Cullen has been praised for his offensive abilities. He uses his speed and creativity to generate offense. Whether it's putting the puck in the back of the net or setting up his teammates, he is always involved in the offensive attack. He also has great hands, which give him excellent stickhandling. He can deke and keep control of the puck while getting around opposing players. This has caused many to see him as a top-six forward.

This is exactly the type of prospect that the Islanders are missing. Sure, they have a few interesting forward prospects like Calum Ritchie and Cole Esierman, but they are raw. We do not have a clear idea of what they will be at the NHL level. While Cullen is also a raw prospect, his ceiling is much higher than the other two. If they are able to develop him, he can be the young point generator they are looking for.

The big reason why he was so low at the start of the draft process was injury. He was out until November, and when he returned, he got off to a slow start. There are also concerns about his defensive ability and his physicality. He has been known to avoid physical situations on the ice. But with him spending at least one season at the University of Minnesota, these problems can easily be worked out.

While he may not be on the level of a Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg, Cullen is a prospect to be excited about. His offensive prowess makes him one of the most intriguing prospects in the draft.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow