The 2025 Draft Lottery took place on May 5, and the New York Islanders and Utah Hockey Hockey Club won. Entering the lottery with a 3.2 percent chance of winning, Utah climbed 10 spots from the 14th pick to fourth, and the New York Islanders jumped 10th to first, which had a 3.5 percent chance of happening.
Since 2019, the Islander have only picked once in the first round, with that selection being Cole Eiserman in the most recent draft, and this season they will have another opportunity to select a very talented player with the first-overall draft pick.
For the Utah Hockey Club, dating back to the Arizona Coyotes picks, they have picked within the top 10 quite a few times over the past decace, including Logan Cooley as their most recent top-four pick in 2022.
The top of the draft doesn’t have a consensus, generational talent like some other drafts, but whether it be Michael Misa, Matthew Schaefer, James Hagens, Porter Martone, or another player, there is definitely some value at the top end, and both teams are going to have an opportunity to picks one of them.
Utah has a good crop of prospects, led by Daniil But, Dmitry Simashev, Tij Iginla, and plenty of others. There is no glaring need in their prospect pool, so they will likely either pick the best player available, or could look to move the pick.
For ther Islanders, as they are currently without a general manager hired, they are more than likely going to play it safe, and add a promising young player to their prospect pool. They have a weak pool as it is, and is generally considered to be in the bottom third of the league in terms of talent on its way to the team.
This would be the fifth time the Islanders select first overall, should they keep the pick for themselves.
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