The Isles cut bait on Dobson, add three intriguing prospects to start off the Darche era.
It was a special day for the New York Islanders with a first-overall pick — one that was distracted by and perhaps facilitated a risky trade — but they came away from the day one top four/two defenseman lighter, but with three new solid to very good prospects.
Their treatment of their top pick was all class, sewing the initials of his late mother as well as a purple cancer awareness ribbon into his jersey, which took him by surprise and elicited tears on stage.
Here are the Isles picks heading into the second day:
- 2nd round: 42nd overall
- 3rd round: 74th overall
- 4th round: 106th overall
- 5th round: 138th overall
- 6th round: 170th overall
- 7th round: 202nd overall
Here are some of the best players still available. [Sportsnet]
Islanders News
- No surprise, with the first pick they took the impressive Matthew Schaefer. [LHH | Isles | Newsday]
- Here’s why he might be a franchise defenseman. [Sportsnet]
- Schaefer makes the Isles’ future brighter. [Newsday]
- Five things to know about Schaefer. [Newsday]
- Earlier in the day, though not announced by them, the Islanders traded Noah Dobson to the Canadiens for two first-round picks and winter Emil Heineman. [LHH | NHL | Post]
(Later, Mathieu Darche admitted they were trying to move up, poking around about James Hagens, but it wasn’t to be.)
- Still, that left them with two more, back-to-back picks [LHH | Post]:
- Victor Eklund “fell” to the Islanders, with teams apparently concerned about his size, but his skating, skill and compete level could make him a great pick.
- Kashawn Aitcheson is seen as a potential top four defenseman, one with a mix of snarl and offense (though not quite NHL power play-level offense) in his game.
- A tribute to Matt Martin, forever an Islander. [Isles]
- Absurd grades (but worthwhile desriptions) on each pick, including “he was clearly the best prospect…so the grade is an A-minus” type logic. [Athletic]
Elsewhere
- The CBA still needs to be ratified, but an MOU has been reached that addresses all kinds of nagging issues, from LTIR playoff shenanigans, to paper AHL loans (no more), to deferred payments, EBUGs, draft rights and so much more. [NHL | Athletic | Sportsnet]
- The Avalanche unloaded Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood on the Blue Jackets. [TSN]
- Sam Bennett re-signs in Florida for 8×8. [NHL]
- John Tavares re-signs in Taranna for a four years and a little over $4M per. [NHL] Tavares desperately wanted to stay. [Sportsnet]
- Trent Frederic re-signs in Edmonton for eight years at $3.85M per. [NHL]