Whether or not the rumors are true that the New York Islanders’ search for a general manager is in its final stretch, it would not be a surprise if a few more candidates were trying to kick down operating partner John Collins’ door right about now.
Monday night provided a franchise-altering stroke of good fortune for the Islanders. They won the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery despite having just a 3.5% chance of doing so and will now have the No. 1 pick when they officially go on the clock on June 27 in Los Angeles.
Suddenly, things are looking pretty promising around UBS Arena. Whomever the new general manager is will get the chance to draft a potential franchise cornerstone with that top pick, adding him to what is slowly becoming a viable prospect pool after years of aridity.
Left-winger Cole Eiserman, at just 18 years old and one year after being taken No. 20 overall by the Islanders, is catapulting up prospect rankings after scoring 25 goals in his freshman year at Boston University. Twenty-year-old center Calum Ritchie, who was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche in the Brock Nelson trade, recorded 70 points in just 47 games with the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League.
Nineteen-year-old two-way center Danny Nelson, a second-round pick in 2023, posted 26 points in 36 games during his sophomore season at Notre Dame. Even 18-year-old forward Kamil Bednarik is gaining steam as a viable prospect after posting 19 points in 40 games at BU alongside Eiserman as a freshman.
The Islanders are also on the precipice of getting some sizable contracts off their books, which will open up some money to spend in the not-so-distant future. Anders Lee and JG Pageau, who will combine to make $12 million in 2025-26, are in the final year of their contracts.
In the meantime, a team that has missed the playoffs in two of the last four years still has some franchise cornerstones to work with for the long haul. Bo Horvat will perennially pot approximately 30 goals per year and could very well be the team’s next captain.
Mathew Barzal is still an elite playmaker when healthy, Noah Dobson and Alex Romanov should be a top defensive pairing for years to come if the roster is constructed correctly, and Ilya Sorokin is a top-five goaltender in the NHL.
Add a can’t-miss young talent with that top overall pick, whether it be defenseman Matthew Schaefer or forwards James Hagens or Michael Misa, who can contribute immediately, along with two first-rounders in 2026, and there is plenty for a prospective GM to work with.
