It didn’t matter if the New York Islanders have been on or off the clock. They have been the headliners on the primary day of the NHL draft.
The Islanders did the anticipated, taking defenseman Matthew Schaefer from Erie of the Ontario Hockey League with the No. 1 total decide Friday.
New York made the selection for the way forward for its blue line. The current noticed a large shake-up earlier within the day when the Islanders traded high defenseman Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens for the sixteenth and seventeenth picks and ahead Emil Heineman.
Montreal signed Dobson, who was a restricted free agent, to an eight-year, $76 million extension.
The Islanders didn’t use these picks to commerce again into the highest 10 and take Boston School ahead, and Lengthy Island native, James Hagens.
Hagens as a substitute went No. 7 to the Boston Bruins with the decide introduced by Joyful Gilmore himself, actor Adam Sandler, sporting a Bruins sweater.
The Islanders took Swedish proper wing Victor Eklund at No. 16 and Barrie (OHL) defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson at No. 17.
Different celebrities have been introduced on to announce picks, together with WWE wrestler Bayley, professional golfer Tony Finau and former Philadelphia Eagles defensive finish Brandon Graham.
That solely added to what turned a moderately lengthy evening.
The draft moved to a decentralized format this yr through which groups performed draft enterprise of their headquarters moderately than from the draft flooring.
What was meant to be a sooner course of became a bogged-down setup.
Groups have been on the clock for 3 minutes, however it took practically an hour to get via the primary 5 picks.
ESPN additionally aired dwell conversations between the groups and their draft picks so as to add to the gradual tempo.
Quiet evening for Knights
The Golden Knights selected to not take part that enjoyable by not buying and selling again into the primary spherical. The Knights don’t have a first-round decide for the subsequent two years after trades for middle Tomas Hertl and defenseman Noah Hanifin.
There have been additionally no trades involving present gamers, indicating motion might decide up for rounds 2 via 7 on Saturday.
That’s when the Knights performed most of their transactional enterprise final yr through the draft at Sphere with the trades of left wing Paul Cotter to the New Jersey Devils and goaltender Logan Thompson to the Washington Capitals.
It might nonetheless form as much as be an eventful day for the Knights in that division. There may be the matter of restricted free agent defenseman Nic Hague and if his signing rights may very well be obtainable.
It’s potential the Knights may very well be available in the market for a defenseman if that involves fruition, added to the unknown standing of Alex Pietrangelo. Reviews have linked the Knights to Bowen Byram of the Buffalo Sabres and Rasmus Andersson of the Calgary Flames in latest days.
Byram, the No. 4 decide within the 2019 draft, is a restricted free agent. Andersson, 28, has one yr remaining on his contract with a $4.55 million cap hit.
The Knights have six picks on Day 2, starting within the second spherical with the 58th total decide.
Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Observe @DannyWebster21 on X.
Up subsequent
What: NHL draft, rounds 2-7
When: 9 a.m. Saturday
The place: Peacock Theater, Los Angeles
TV: NHL Community
On the clock: San Jose Sharks
Golden Knights’ draft picks
Spherical 2: No. 58
Spherical 3: No. 91
Spherical 4: No. 122
Spherical 5: No. 154
Spherical 6: Nos. 186, 187
