Islanders to Draft Five Players This Week

Oct 5, 2020

By Sasha Kandrach

 

The 2020 NHL Draft, originally set to be hosted in Montreal, Quebec, will take place virtually this year due to COVID-19 and begins Tuesday, Oct. 6 with Round 1 selections scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. Rounds 2-7 begin Wednesday, Oct. 7 beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET. 

 

The New York Islanders are slated to draft five new players into their organization with a pick in each of Rounds 3-7. The Bridgeport Islanders’ parent club will select in the following order:

 

Third Round - 90th pick 
Fourth Round - 121st pick 
Fifth round - 152nd pick
Sixth round - 183rd pick 
Seventh round - 214th pick 

 

The Islanders are without a first-round pick for the first time since 2017 and are without a pick in either the first or second rounds for the first time since 2007. With the acquisition of center Jean-Gabriel Pageau from the Ottawa Senators at the NHL Trade Deadline on Feb. 24, the Isles exchanged a conditional first-round pick and the club's second-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. 

 

The first-rounder was officially sent to Ottawa, as the Isles defeated the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Qualifying Round.
 

Last year, the Islanders’ draft class featured:

 

Simon Holmstrom (R1, P23): winger, 15 points (8g, 7a) in 46 games with Bridgeport last season

Samuel Bolduc (R2, P57): defenseman, Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)

Reece Newkirk (R5, P147): center, Portland Winterhawks (WHL)

Felix Bibeau (R6, P178): center, Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)

Cole Coskey (R7, P209): winger, Saginaw Spirit (OHL) 

 

In the last five years, the Isles have selected five players each from the QMJHL, USHL, and WHL, four players from the NTDP, three players from Sweden and the OHL, two players from each Russia and Finland and one player from the Czech and Mid-Atlantic Hockey league.

 

Of the 31 players selected in the last five years, seven have suited up for the New York Islanders: Sebastian Aho*, Mathew Barzal, Anthony Beauvillier*, Kieffer Bellows*, Noah Dobson, Otto Koivula*, and Oliver Wahlstrom*.

 

*Have also played at least one game with the Sound Tigers

 

Tune in to NBCSN for full coverage of the first round of 2020 NHL Draft and NHL Network for rounds two through seven.