For all the criticism that general manager (GM) Lou Lamoriello has received for how he’s run the New York Islanders, he’s also drafted well in recent years. Sure, the 2019, 2020, and 2021 Draft classes didn’t amount to much, but he picked up the slack to bring in some much-needed youth. It’s been impressive, considering Lamoriello didn’t have a pick in the first round in four of the last five drafts.
Related: Bridgeport Islanders Defense Is Bad Without Isaiah George in the Lineup
Whenever it looks like Lamoriello’s time on Long Island is done for, an injection from the pipeline proves he can still keep the Islanders competitive. The 2022 NHL Entry Draft did that for him when he nailed multiple selections and also added enough talent to turn the team’s farm system around.
Lamoriello Flips First-Round Selection For Romanov
This was the big move, not just for the Islanders but also for the Chicago Blackhawks and Montreal Canadiens. The three-team trade helped all sides – the Canadiens added a young center in Kirby Dach, while the Blackhawks selected Frank Nazar with the 13th overall pick. However, the Islanders received immediate benefits from the deal and the most overall success.
Lamoriello acquired Alexander Romanov in the trade, and he’s been a staple of the defense ever since. He’s the blue-chip defenseman who will play the shooting lanes and eliminate opponents near the net. While Romanov isn’t a force on the offensive end of the ice, he’s remarkable defensively, with 10.2 defensive point shares since joining the team, making him an anchor of the unit.
While he’s injured and hasn’t played in a few weeks, he’s proving this season that he’s the most valuable defenseman on the Islanders. Romanov will be a restricted free agent (RFA) this offseason, along with Noah Dobson, but expect both to remain core parts of the roster moving forward. Lamoriello could have used the 13th pick to add a top prospect, yet Romanov has been a more rewarding addition.
Islanders Strengthen The Defense
Without a selection in the first round, Lamoriello used the later rounds to fix the defense in the long run. Romanov was and still is the quick fix, while Calle Odelius and Isaiah George were the long-term investments. The Islanders landed both skaters with their second and fourth-round selections.
George burst onto the scene. He made his NHL debut on Nov. 5 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, and his skating, along with his strong play on defense, has stood out. The three games he’s played have proven that he isn’t going back to the American Hockey League (AHL) anytime soon, and he should become a key part of the defensive unit.
Odelius, who played overseas before this season, is still adjusting to the AHL, where space is hard to find, and the puck moves north-south instead of east-west. That said, he can eventually be a better defenseman than George. He has the skill in the offensive zone to open things up and create scoring chances. Once Odelius rounds out his game, he’ll be a great player for the Islanders.
Maggio is a Late-Round Find
Matthew Maggio was selected in the fifth round but has already emerged as one of the best skaters on the AHL team. He scored 16 goals and 11 assists last season, proving he can create scoring chances and find the back of the net at center or on the wing.
This season, he’s struggled early on with only three assists in 10 games, forcing the team to leave him out of the lineup as a healthy scratch in their Nov. 9 game. He’s still a talented forward in the Islanders system, along with William Dufour, another fifth-round selection by Lamoriello. At the very least, Maggio will eventually be a middle-six forward at the NHL level.
It’s also worth noting that Lamoriello drafted Quinn Finley in the 2022 Draft to bolster the forward group. While Finley hasn’t made significant strides as a prospect like other prospects from that draft, he still has the skills to be a good forward someday. This is a draft that will allow the team to potentially add two forwards and two defensemen to the NHL roster in a short time to make the group younger and equipped for the future.
Lamoriello’s Next Draft Haul on the Horizon
The 2023 Draft saw the Islanders land a few NHL hopefuls, but the 2024 Draft is where Lamoriello added star potential to the prospect pool. With a pick in the first round for the first time since 2019, he selected Cole Eiserman, an elite scorer with a shot that can make him a remarkable player at the NHL level soon.
Likewise, Kamil Bednarik, who Lamoriello selected in the second round, can also become a reliable forward in the NHL. He’s a well-rounded player who, as a bonus, is playing on the same team as Eiserman at Boston College this season. The duo are forming strong chemistry in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and look to be great additions to the Islanders someday.
Lamoriello has run the AHL team into the ground. They were the worst team in the Atlantic Division last season and are in last place to start this season. However, the prospect pool is more talented than one would think. George emerging as a key part of the defense and the other young skaters on the way to the NHL are proof of that.
