With the New York Islanders in possession of their first-round pick for the first time since 2019 when they took Simon Holmstrom, it is a great time to reflect on their draft history. There have been some great selections and disappointing busts, so who were the best and worst in the team’s recent history?
10. Michael Dal Colle, Left Wing, 2014, 5th Overall
Starting off the list is one of the greatest draft busts in NHL history. Michael Dal Colle played just 112 games across five NHL seasons, scoring eight goals and 21 points. The issue for him stemmed from his time with the Islanders. After getting drafted, he scored 42 goals and 93 points in 56 games for the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).
Dal Colle plateaued with Oshawa the following season, scoring seven fewer goals and 15 fewer total points. He proceeded to join the Bridgeport Islanders for a season or two before joining the NHL club in New York. However, he was never able to translate his offensive production to professional hockey for a full season, and he now plays in Germany for the Iserlohn Roosters.
9. Griffin Reinhart, Left Defense, 2012, 4th Overall
The only reason Griffin Reinhart is not at the bottom of the list is because of what he was traded for. In hindsight, it is hard to see what teams saw in Reinhart. He was a consensus top-10 prospect, but neither his offense nor defense was worthy of being a first-round selection. He played just 37 regular season NHL games, scoring two assists in total. However, he was traded to the Edmonton Oilers for first and second-round picks that turned into Mat Barzal and Anthony Beauvillier, so the Islanders redeemed the selection.
Related: New York Islanders’ Top 10 Prospects
Another redeeming issue from the 2012 Draft was the incredibly weak top-four draft picks. The first three selections were Nail Yakupov, Ryan Murray, and Alex Galchenyuk, so it is not exactly like the teams ahead of the Islanders did much better. Also, outside of a few selections, it was a disappointing first-round draft class.
8. Josh Ho-Sang, Right Wing, 2014, 28th Overall
Continuing with the disappointing draft selections is Josh Ho-Sang. The difference between Ho-Sang and Dal Colle is that he provided some offensive production in his Islanders tenure. He finished his 53-game stint with seven goals and 24 points but struggled to stay in the lineup due to off-ice issues. Looking back, his struggles are likely a mix of Ho-Sang’s attitude and poor coaching, but that does not change the fact he was a disappointing draft selection.
7. Kieffer Bellows, Left Wing/Center, 2016, 19th Overall
Kieffer Bellows brought a lot of hope to the Islanders prospect pool. After drafting Dal Colle and Ho-Sang in the recent drafts, Bellows was seen as a safer prospect. However, he still struggled, playing just 68 regular season games for the Islanders, scoring 11 goals and 25 points. He was a physical presence in the bottom six who failed to earn opportunities in the top six or powerplay, so it is clear there was untapped potential. At the end of his Islanders tenure it became clear he was not going to find success on Long Island, so the team decided to place him on waivers where the Philadelphia Flyers snagged him. Since getting claimed, he has struggled to stay in the NHL, primarily playing with the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League.
6. Oliver Wahlstrom, Right Wing, 2018, 11th Overall
Starting to turn the corner on draft selections is Oliver Wahlstrom. The only difference between Wahlstrom and Bellows is his upside was even higher, and he had one strong season in the NHL. In his rookie season, he scored 12 goals and 21 points in 44 games. However, he has just 22 goals and 46 points in 140 games since then, failing to earn a regular spot in the lineup. Heading into the offseason, it has become unimaginable to see him return to the Islanders next season.
5. Simon Holmstrom, Left Wing/Right Wing, 2019, 23rd Overall
Simon Holmstrom is still at the beginning of his NHL journey but he has provided something few other Islanders prospects have. He is a strong two-way winger and he is great on the penalty kill. Since he does not dominate in any one aspect of the game, it is hard to project his upside, but he should continue his development and become a lineup regular in the Islanders’ bottom six moving forward.
4. Anthony Beauvillier, Right Wing/Left Wing, 2015, 28th Overall
Anthony Beauvillier embodied what it meant to be an Islander in his tenure with the Blue and Orange. He is a hard-working winger who uses his speed and agility to power the offense. He was continuously spread throughout the lineup but shined in his limited opportunities in the top six. His departure was emotional but necessary as he was included in the Bo Horvat acquisition. Moving forward, Beauvillier is a free agent this offseason and it is not out of the question to see him return to the Islanders as a depth forward.
3. Ryan Pulock, Right Defense, 2013, 15th Overall
A great draft selection by the Islanders was Ryan Pulock in the 2013 Draft. At the time, the team needed a physical defenseman who could help power the offense. Pulock provided just that, becoming a dominant top-pairing defenseman alongside Adam Pelech for many seasons.
Pulock was a key part of the Islanders’ deep playoff runs in 2020 and 2021 but has since struggled with injuries. However, he is going to be fully healthy to start the 2024-25 season and should look to build on the offensive success he had late in the 2023-24 season. He is also set to remain with the Islanders for a while since he has six seasons left on his contract, so any offensive increase would be very helpful.
2. Noah Dobson, Right Defense, 2018, 12th Overall
Noah Dobson has developed into one of the NHL’s best right-handed defensemen. At just 24 years old, the 6-foot-4 defenseman scored 10 goals and 70 points, keeping the Islanders’ powerplay from being one of the worst in the league. He is a great skater with elite vision and a strong shot, providing offense wherever he can. His defense is a weakness, but it has improved. With more time, he has the potential to win the James Norris Memorial Trophy at some point in his career.
1. Mat Barzal, Center, 2015, 16th Overall
Mat Barzal is an easy choice for the first-place spot. As a rookie, he won the Calder Memorial Trophy after scoring 22 goals and 85 points. Once John Tavares left, Barzal was forced to prematurely become the face of the franchise, and he has not disappointed. The 2023-24 season brought a career-high in goals (23) and 80 points. Every NHL fan knows him and with seven more seasons under contract with the Islanders, expect Barzal to rise in the ranks among the franchise’s top point producers.
The Islanders will be selecting 20th at the NHL Draft this Friday (June 28). This will be the 62nd Entry Draft in league history, the first taking place in Las Vegas, and the first with the Utah Hockey Club.
