BROOKLYN, NY – The New York Islanders have a lot on their minds these days, well with the thought of their franchise player potentially leaving for green pastures, the continuing saga of getting a new arena, hiring a new Head Coach, the upcoming expansion draft, free agency, and the NHL Entry Draft. We could talk about all those fun things but the only thing that matters for the long term future of any club in the NHL Draft.
The Islanders are in a unique position having back-to-back picks at with the 11 and 12 overall picks thanks in part due to the Travis Hamonic trade. Does the team look for a center who might end of replacing John Tavares? Do they double down on centers or use one of their picks on a defenseman as well? Let’s see how we think the chips will fall in PHN’s 2018 NHL Mock Draft shall we?
The Islanders are fairly solid down the middle even if Tavares leaves with Mathew Barzal and Jordan Eberle, Anthony Beauvillier, and Brock Nelson. Anders Lee can play wing and center. The problem is within the Islanders farm system where they have very few blue chip prospects at center. Their top prospect is Kieffer Bellows and he plays left wing.
Eberle and Lee both have one more year left to go on their contracts and the John Tavares situation is hanging over the franchise and it won’t be resolved before the draft so until it does get resolved a lot of fans and members of the team’ brass collectively are nervous nellies these days. No one has a crystal ball, but you can bet the Islanders will put out all the stops to save their best player from free agency.
On defense is where the Islanders need to focus on, and not just on the blueline but in net as well. Behind Bellows in the system is the teams number two prospect in goaltender Ilya Sorokin. The Islanders have two second round picks and you can bet at least one of them could be used on another goaltender or be used as part of a trade for one as well.
In the draft there should be a ton of blueliners available to pick from as well as centers, but the Islanders are deep in the system for defenseman and wingers. The Islanders are in a great spot to select some quality centers at 11 and 12. Some of the top defenseman should go before the Islanders picks come up so we see the Islanders doubling down at the center position at the draft.
Our gut feeling is that the Islanders will take the best players available approach and in the Islanders case that will definitely be at center. Quite a few will still be out there since most of the top prospects that should already be taken are defensemen and wingers. With having back-to-back picks at 11 and 12 PHN feels they will make the following announcements by their new General Manager Lou Lamoriello in Dallas.
“With the 11th overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft the New York Islanders are proud select, from Asset, Finland, Jesperi Kotkaniemi.”
“With the 12th overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft the New York Islanders are proud select, from the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League, Barrett Hayton.”
Brian Jennings covers the Philadelphia Flyers for prohockeynews.com and can be found on twitter at @Flyersfan22.
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