Islanders to Pick First Overall in 2025 NHL Draft
May 6, 2025
The New York Islanders won the NHL's Draft Lottery on Monday, May 5 and will pick first overall in the 2025 NHL Draft on June 27.
The Islanders entered the day with the 10th best odds to win the NHL's Draft Lottery, moving up from 10th to first. The organization has picked first overall four times previously: 1972 Billy Harris, 1973 Denis Potvin, 2000 Rick DiPietro and 2009 John Tavares.
The Upper Deck 2025 NHL Draft will be held at L.A. Live's Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The first round will be held June 27 (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS), with rounds 2-7 on June 28 (Noon ET; NHLN, ESPN+, SN, SN1).
Erie Otters defenseman Matthew Schaefer is the top-ranked North American skater at this year's draft. Saginaw Spirit center Michael Misa is the second-ranked North American skater, while Boston College center - and Hauppauge native - James Hagens is the third-ranked North American skater.
See NHL's Central Scouting rankings here.
Ken Morrow had a lucky feeling in the lead-up to the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery, as the New York Islanders Hall of Famer and Director of Pro Scouting attended as the team’s representative. Morrow’s intuition ended up being spot on, as the Islanders won the lottery to pick first overall.
“I just had a feeling today,” Morrow said. “I was going through the day, preparing for tonight. I don’t know how to explain it, but I felt like I wasn’t getting prepared for nothing to happen. And wow. I’m just speechless right now.”
The Islanders’ odds were slim - a 3.5% chance of picking first to be exact, equal to 10th-best – so the buildup to jumping to 100% was nothing short of exciting. When the first three ping pong balls came up 7, 11 and 12, the Islanders’ odds shot up to a 18.2% chance of winning, tied with several teams for the best odds, with one number to go.
One of the numbers reminded Morrow of a good friend - and a former Isles first-round pick – in Denis Potvin.
“It got down to where we were still in it for that last drawing, which I was thrilled with that,” Morrow said. “And I saw 5 and 13. And in my head, I was thinking 5 for Denis Potvin. But 13, lucky number 13 right? Those were my thoughts. 5 and 13.”
When the lucky number 13 appeared, it became official that the Islanders would hold the first pick for the fifth time in franchise history. The Islanders’ previous four first-overall picks include Billy Harris (1972), Potvin (1973), Rick DiPietro (2000) and John Tavares (2009).
“What a moment,” Morrow said. “What a moment. I’m over the moon with what just happened for our organization and our fanbase.”
Morrow, who is a four-time Stanley Cup Champion and won gold with Team USA in 1980, played 10 seasons with the Islanders. He currently serves as the Islanders’ Director of Pro Scouting.
Beyond making the selection, a lot goes into a player’s development and path to the pros, and Morrow expressed his excitement for his colleagues.
“This is what our amateur scouting staff lives for, this moment,” Morrow said. “They put in the work, and I know how hard they work all year long, to have an opportunity like this, I know they’re well prepared and excited.”
The first overall pick will be added to the Isles prospect pipeline, which includes highly touted prospects in Calum Ritchie, Isaiah George, Cole Eiserman, Danny Nelson among others in the system.
“This gives a huge boost,” Morrow said. “It certainly jolts our whole system. It’s a young man’s game now. These young players, so many of them are ready to make the next step when they get the chance.”