The New York Islanders entered Monday's NHL Draft Lottery with one of the bleakest-looking futures in the NHL. They ended Monday night's confusing affair with a future bright enough to potentially lure a top GM candidate to Long Island. Yes, that's what winning the NHL Draft Lottery despite having long-shot odds can do.
When the Islanders announced that Lou Lamoriello would not return as the team's general manager, nobody realistically expected the Islanders to get blessed in the way they did on Monday. Now, all of a sudden, the Islanders have a lot going for them as they search for Lamoriello's successor.
Islanders GM opening suddenly has a lot to offer after NHL Draft Lottery win
It's anyone's best guess as to what the Islanders will do with the No. 1 overall pick. Would they bolster their blue line with the best defensive prospect available, Matthew Schaefer? Would they prefer to add to their already improving center depth by selecting Michael Missa or James Hagens? That's a decision any GM would love to make, and one this Islanders job can offer. This premium asset is the latest addition to an improving war chest of assets.
The Islanders have Cole Eiserman, a blue-chip left-wing prospect they selected in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft. They have blue-chip center prospect, Cal Ritchie, who they acquired in the Brock Nelson trade at the NHL trade deadline. They even landed a future first-round pick from Colorado in that deal.
Additionally, the Islanders' cap situation is far from bad. In addition to having the sixth-most projected cap space in the NHL this offseason, they're just one year away from clearing $12 million of cap by way of Anders Lee and Jean-Gabriel Pageau entering free agency.
The Islanders have money to spend, the No. 1 overall pick, Ritchie, Eiserman, and high-end players like Ilya Sorokin, Mat Barzal, and Bo Horvat locked in long-term. This doesn't even include Noah Dobson, a No. 1 defenseman that the Islanders can choose to extend or receive a massive haul for via trade.
I'm not here to say that the Islanders are going to win a Stanley Cup anytime soon. I'm not here to say that the Islanders even have the most attractive GM opening right now. I will say, however, that with the No. 1 overall pick, an improving prospect pool, and clear building blocks locked in long-term, this job is not nearly as bad as it was looking before the trade deadline. This opening can realistically be seen as good enough to lure a qualified GM to town, which wasn't looking likely not too long ago.