The New York Islanders earned the right to select Erie Otters defenseman Matthew Schaefer, the popular front-runner to go No. 1 in the draft when they won the NHL draft lottery Monday night.

Over the past 20 years, it has been standard procedure for the No. 1 overall pick to be in the NHL the following season. Not since Erik Johnson to the St. Louis Blues in 2006 has a player been taken with the first overall pick and not at least spent part of the season in the NHL.

But Schaefer, you may recall, was limited to just 17 games last season in the OHL. He sat out the beginning of the year with mononucleosis and saw his season end when he broke his collarbone in the second game of the World Junior Championship.

Would the Islanders, and whomever their new GM ends up being, consider sending Schaefer back to junior hockey to have the season he should have had in 2024-25?

Michael Misa, meanwhile, might actually be more ready for the NHL, since he has played three years of junior hockey, won a Memorial Cup and led all of junior hockey last season in goals (62) and points (134).

That's not to say Misa will ultimately be the better player than Schaefer, but he might be more ready right now to step in.

Check out today's video column for more, and share your thoughts.

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