The New York Islanders currently own the 54th and 61st overall picks in the 2024 Draft, courtesy of a recent trade with the Chicago Blackhawks. The Islanders have a great history in the Lou Lamoriello era in Round 2, drafting players such as Danny Nelson, Aatu Raty, and Samuel Bolduc. Now with the chance to make two selections in the second round for the first time since 2018, they have the ability to strengthen their prospect pool.
The Islanders’ strategy with these picks should be to take the best player available. Typically, the second round sees a few projected first-round picks fall into the 40s and 50s, so the Islanders must land these players if available. As well, the 2024 Draft class has little to no consensus in rankings after the first pick in the draft, so anything can happen by the time the Islanders are on the clock.
Teddy Stiga
One prominent name that has a lot of variability in the rankings is Teddy Stiga, a left-wing from the United States Developmental Program (USNTDP). The 5-foot-10, Massachusetts native has rankings as high as 18th and as low as 83rd. In The Hockey Writers Mock Draft, he went in the first round to the Islanders. This pick was viewed as a reach by many, so there is a possibility he falls to the second round.
Related: Islanders Must Trade With Sabres to Draft Cole Eiserman
Stiga is committed to Boston College for next season, arguably the best college hockey program in the United States. The college took top prospects Ryan Leonard, Will Smith, Gabe Perreault, and others from the 2023 Draft class and developed them into superstars. Also, it has a strong history of breeding NHL superstars such as Brian Leetch, Johnny Gaudreau, Joe Mullen, and Craig Janney. If Stiga is going to develop into a strong NHL forward anywhere, it will be at Boston College.
Kamil Bednarik
Just like Stiga, Kamil Bednarik spent the past two seasons with the USNTDP and is committed to a college in Boston for next season. However, Bednarik will be attending Boston College’s rival school, Boston University. He is a strong two-way center and will be joining fellow USNTDP and top American prospect in the 2024 Draft, Cole Eiserman, at the school.
Bednarik has been a projected second-round pick for the majority of this season, being ranked anywhere from 36 to 61 by most scouts. His strong two-way game is what stands out amongst his fellow draft-eligible prospects, but his inability to translate his talent to the score sheet is expected to keep him out of the first round. The Islanders need offensive upside, but Bednarik’s high floor and positional value make him an enticing prospect for the team to select.
Tanner Howe
Tanner Howe is a name most fans expect to hear by the end of the first round, with few scouts having him without a top-32 grade. However, there is strong reason to believe he could drop to the Islanders. The left-handed forward is primarily a left wing but can also play center, and has played for the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League throughout the past three seasons. Notably, he was teammates with generational talent Connor Bedard for two of his seasons in Regina, posting a career-high 36 goals and 85 points in the 2022-23 season.
After Bedard left Regina for the NHL, Howe was left without his linemate. As a result, his point totals regressed, finishing this past season with just 28 goals and 77 points, decreasing in both totals from the season prior. While the regression was expected, and understandable, it does not help his cause. Many scouts may fear his ability to drive offense as a line’s primary scorer, leaving him as a potential Round 2 candidate.
With that said Howe is still a great prospect. He has great hands and knows how to score from around the net. He is not afraid to get physical when needed, and he is a good skater on and off the puck. His left-handedness and positional value would be very helpful additions to the Islanders’ prospect pool, so it would be exciting to see him land on Long Island.
More Likely Options
While Stiga, Bednarik, and Howe are three prospects who could drop to the Islanders, it is not the most likely. So, if all three are taken by the 54th pick, the Islanders should look to draft centers Luke Misa or Christian Humphreys or left-handed defensemen Daniil Ustinkov or Stian Solberg.
The 2024 NHL Entry Draft will take place at The Sphere, with Round 1 set to take place on June 28 and Round 2 on the 29th. The Islanders will make a first-round selection for the first time since 2019 when they took Simon Holmstrom, but the rest of the draft will be just as, if not more important, to the team’s future.
