New York Islanders poised to make top pick in NHL draft, and they have several good options

By Canadian Press on June 27, 2025.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The New York Islanders are poised to make the top selection in an NHL draft that is packed with talent while missing a few staples of recent drafts.

For starters, there is no absolute lock of a No. 1 pick in this field, although the Isles are expected to take gifted defenseman Matthew Schaefer of the OHL’s Erie Otters.

This draft also lacks the centralized structure that has long been a staple of this annual exercise. The 32 teams’ various executives are mostly at home, not strewn across the draft floor at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles.

But the teenagers chosen in the first round Friday still will take the stage to cheers from their families and hockey fans before they begin their careers.

This draft could be more unpredictable than some in recent years, and many teams are openly contemplating a trade down from their top pick. Even the second and third picks contain intrigue: Michael Misa is thought by many to be a cut above the rest of the forward class, but Swedish prospect Anton Frondell has surged up draft boards in recent weeks.

San Jose has the No. 2 overall pick, while the Chicago Blackhawks are third. The Utah Mammoth and the Nashville Predators round out the top five.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL

Greg Beacham, The Associated Press