Category Archives: The Hockey News

Flyers' Matvei Michkov Can Follow Bill Barber's Path After NHL Calder Trophy Snub

Matvei Michkov (Eric Hartline-Imagn Images)

Matvei Michkov did all he could to become the first player in the Philadelphia Flyers’ history to win the Calder Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s rookie of the year.

The 20-year-old right winger had more goals (26) than any rookie in the NHL, and he also topped the Flyers in that category.

In addition, he led rookies in even-strength points, and he played with Bobby Clarke-like passion and drive.

Yet, he was not one of the three Calder finalists in voting by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

Instead, the writers made Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson (rookie-leading 66 points), San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (63 points) and Calgary goalie Dustin Wolf (2.64 goals-against average, .910 save percentage) the top three rookies.

Wolf, 24, played 17 games the previous season but was still considered a rookie this year based on NHL qualifications.

Michkov, who started this season at 19, came in cold. He spent 48 games in the KHL in 2023-24. The Hockey News contacted three members of the Flyers’ front office. None returned calls or texts about Michkov being overlooked.

Back In The Day

Bill Barber knows all about being snubbed in the rookie of the year voting.

In 1972-73, the left winger finished second to the New York Rangers’ Steve Vickers. Barber lost despite having better stats than Vickers.

All these years later, Barber said it “never felt disappointing” because he was focused on team goals. But he added a kicker.

“If anything, it gave me more incentive to do better,” he said.

Like Barber, Michkov has downplayed the Calder Trophy. Earlier this year, he said he was aware of the Calder race, but his concentration was on winning games.

Overcame Obstacles

The Calder finalists have strong qualities, but it’s difficult to understand how all three were placed ahead of Michkov.

Fact is, Michkov, a Russian, had more obstacles to overcome than the other three — he had to adjust to the bigger NHL rinks while learning a new language. And he played for an ultra-demanding coach (John Tortorella) for most of the season. Tortorella limited Michkov’s ice time and even benched him for two games.

When Tortorella was fired and Brad Shaw was named the interim coach late in the season, he took off the leash. Michkov got lots more playing time (19:36 per game compared to 16:41 under Tortorella). In nine games under Shaw, Michkov had 12 points (six goals, six assists).

Michkov, who was tied for second among rookies with 63 points, answered most of the questions about his ability this season, though his defense was sometimes a challenge. He finished at minus-18. Celebrini finished at minus-31.

How 'Proficient' Are NHL Calder Finalists Hutson, Celebrini And Wolf?How 'Proficient' Are NHL Calder Finalists Hutson, Celebrini And Wolf?The NHL’s Calder Trophy race this season led to a rare scenario.

From here, Michkov deserved to be a finalist. He and Hutson were the two best rookies. It would not have been a disgrace to finish second to Hutson, who tied an NHL record for a rookie defenseman with 60 assists. Hutson helped Montreal reach the playoffs, and he deserves the Calder.

Meanwhile, Michkov can take solace in the fact that legends like Barber and Eric Lindros had great rookie seasons for Philadelphia but didn’t win the Calder, either. Those players are in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

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Anaheim Ducks Explain Why They Hired Joel Quenneville As Their Next Coach

Joel Quenneville (Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images)

Joel Quenneville is returning to the NHL as the 12th coach of the Anaheim Ducks.

Quenneville is an NHL coach for the first time in more than three years as he replaces Greg Cronin, who was fired by the Ducks on April 19.

Before the hire became official, TSN’s Darren Dreger reported that the Ducks conducted an extensive background check on Quenneville, including his work to reform from mistakes he made in the handling of a player’s sexual assault allegations toward a video coach. ESPN’s Emily Kaplan added the team spoke with the player, Kyle Beach, too.

Quenneville resigned as coach of the Florida Panthers on Oct. 29, 2021, in the wake of a sexual assault investigation from an incident with the Chicago Blackhawks.

It was determined that Quenneville, along with GM Stan Bowman and VP of hockey operations Al MacIsaac, had an inadequate response to allegations that the team's video coach, Brad Aldrich, sexually assaulted left winger Kyle Beach during the team's 2010 Stanley Cup run.

As of July 10, 2024, all three of them were reinstated and were allowed to pursue NHL positions again.

“Over the last two weeks, we conducted interviews with many outstanding coaching candidates, while simultaneously conducting a comprehensive review of what took place while Joel was head coach of the Blackhawks in 2010,” Ducks GM Pat Verbeek said in a news release Thursday. “We spoke with dozens of individuals, including advocates for positive change in hockey and leadership of the NHL, which last July officially cleared Joel to seek employment in the league.”

In July 2021, Quenneville initially said in a statement he was not aware of the allegations at the time. The report released by law firm Jenner & Block in October 2021 reported that Quenneville did learn of the allegations during the 2010 playoff run but said they could not deal with the allegations at the moment.

“Our findings are consistent with Joel’s account that he was not fully aware of the severity of what transpired in 2010,” Verbeek said. “It is clear that Joel deeply regrets not following up with more questions at the time, has demonstrated meaningful personal growth and accountability and has earned the opportunity to return to coaching."

The Ducks made big steps this season, finishing with a 35-37-10 record for 80 points. That’s a 21-point improvement from the 2023-24 campaign, when they had a 27-50-5 record for 59 points to finish seventh in the Pacific Division.

Anaheim is the fifth-youngest team in the NHL with an average age of 26.65, according to eliteprospects.com. Verbeek said hiring Quenneville could be the next step in helping the team grow into a playoff contender.

“Joel is a proven winner and one of the top coaches in NHL history,” Verbeek said. “We believe this is a major step forward in our process of being a perennial playoff contender.”

Dreger reported that Quenneville was the first candidate that Anaheim pursued. Kaplan added that Jay Woodcroft and Rick Tocchet were among the final candidates to be the Ducks’ coach.

Kaplan also mentioned David Carle had a two-day interview before he committed to the University of Denver, signing a multi-year extension with the NCAA program.

Quenneville has been a coach in the NHL for more than two decades, dating back to his first bench boss role in the 1997-98 season with the St. Louis Blues. He went on to coach the Colorado Avalanche, the Blackhawks and the Panthers.

With Chicago, he won three Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013, and 2015. He won the Jack Adams Award in the 1999-2000 season with St. Louis, as well as in 2012-13 with Chicago and 2020-21 with Florida.

The 66-year-old is the second-winningest coach in NHL history, with a 969-572-150 record, along with 77 ties. He is 276 wins from overtaking Scotty Bowman, who has 1,244 victories in the NHL.

Panthers coach Paul Maurice is just below Quenneville with 916 wins in 1,930 regular-season games behind the bench.

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The Hockey News Big Show: Second-Round Storylines In The NHL Playoffs, Ft. Drew Shore

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The Hockey News Big Show is here to look around the NHL playoffs and beyond, with help from a special guest.

Second-Round Storylines In The NHL Playoffs, Ft. Drew Shore by The Big ShowSecond-Round Storylines In The NHL Playoffs, Ft. Drew Shore by The Big Showundefined

Here’s what Michael Traikos, Ryan Kennedy and ex-NHL player Drew Shore discussed in this episode:

0:55: Does Sunrise, Fla., get enough credit for how good of a city and Florida Panthers home crowd it is to play?  

1:31: How important are line matchups between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Panthers going to be now that the series is headed to Florida, where Paul Maurice will have the last change? 

3:06: Which line should Florida match up against Auston Matthews or William Nylander's line, as the top line?

6:05: Will the Florida Panthers try to slow play down and win with low-scoring games?

7:06 The Mikko Rantanen Show was on full display again. Have we ever seen one player take over like this before?

9:42: How will the Winnipeg Jets stop Rantanen?  

10:26: Is Jim Nill the best GM in the Modern Era? 

14:28: The Carolina Hurricanes is up 1-0 against the Washington Capitals, but can you see this series going to six or seven games? 

16:14: What is it like being coached by Rod Brind'Amour?

17:30: Is there something about Carolina's style of hockey that doesn’t translate into the playoffs? 

18:36: Sebastian Aho has the type of slight build that shouldn't work in the playoffs. What makes him so effective as a competitor?

20:46: Will goaltending be Edmonton's Achilles heel, or is it good enough? 

24:15: Alex Pietrangelo and Pavel Dorofeyev of Vegas were absent from practice. How big would these losses be?

27:56: World Championship: which players have the most to gain/lose?

32:27: Why has James Hagens dropped so far in the rankings heading into the NHL draft?

34:47: Joel Quenneville is reportedly joining the Anaheim Ducks. Is he the right coach for this team?

36:55: Kraken/Golden Knights/Mammoth: which recent new team has the best name?

37:35: Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel: Regular seasons aside, who has been the better playoff performer?

39:12: Home teams aren’t performing very well in the second round of the playoffs, so is home-ice advantage real? 

40:25: Who is your early Conn Smythe pick? Anyone else besides Rantanen?

41:02: Would the Avalanche have been better off with Rantanen or depth?

42:30: What's your current pump-up song? 

  

Watch the full episode here.   

Subscribe to The Hockey News Big Show on your preferred platform.

NHL Rumor Roundup: The Latest On Marco Rossi, Patrik Laine And Drake Batherson

Marco Rossi (Sergei Belski-Imagn Images)

Most of the focus for Minnesota Wild followers will be on the club's efforts to re-sign left winger Kirill Kaprizov. 

The 28-year-old superstar is eligible for UFA status next summer, and the earliest the Wild can sign him to a contract extension is July 1. 

While Wild management works on retaining their franchise player, they must also decide the fate of Marco Rossi. 

The 23-year-old center is completing his entry-level contract and finished this season sitting second among Wild scorers with 60 points in 82 games. That's a 20-point improvement over his performance last season over the same number of games. 

However, the Athletic's Michael Russo and Joe Smith pointed out Rossi was buried on the Wild's fourth line following a difficult period down the stretch and into the opening game of their first-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Rossi was the subject of trade rumors earlier this season until GM Bill Guerin dismissed that speculation in December. He lacks arbitration rights, prompting Russo and Smith to suggest he could receive an offer sheet from a rival club this summer.

Meanwhile, in Montreal, Canadiens GM Kent Hughes came to the defense of Patrik Laine during the club's end-of-season press conference on Monday. 

Laine, 27, drew criticism from some local pundits for his defensive play and declining production down the stretch, prompting speculation the Canadiens could trade the left winger or buy out the final season of his contract. 

Hughes was having none of it. Speaking in French, he told reporters the Canadiens wouldn't have reached the playoffs this season without Laine. 

In Ottawa, a Postmedia report claimed Drake Batherson's name surfaced in the rumor mill before the March trade deadline. The Senators opted instead to trade Josh Norris, shipping him to the Buffalo Sabres for Dylan Cozens. 

The report said several teams wonder if Senators GM Steve Staios would be open to offers for Batherson this summer. His affordability is one reason, as the 27-year-old right winger has two years left on his contract with an average annual value of $4.975 million. 

It would take a significant offer to pry Batherson away from the low-scoring Senators. He's exceeded the 60-point plateau in three straight seasons, including a career-high 68 points in 2024-25.

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Mikko Rantanen's Historic Scoring Tear Overshadows Returns For Stars' Robertson, Jets' Scheifele

Mikko Rantanen (Terrence Lee-Imagn Images)

Mikko Rantanen picked up right where he left off after the first round when the Dallas Stars took on the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday.

Dallas prevailed in a 3-2 win at the Canada Life Centre on Wednesday to take a 1-0 second-round lead over Winnipeg.

Rantanen put up a natural hat trick in the contest. This was Rantanen’s second straight playoff hat trick after the team’s Game 7 win against the Colorado Avalanche.

This was a historic game for Rantanen. Not only did he record back-to-back hat tricks in the Stanley Cup playoffs, but both hat tricks happened within one period. He is the first player in NHL history to record multiple three-goal periods in the same post-season, let alone in consecutive games.

Rantanen also became the third player in history to record back-to-back hat tricks in the playoffs. The other two were Jari Kurri for the Edmonton Oilers in 1985 and Doug Bentley for the Chicago Blackhawks in 1944.

In his last four playoff games, Rantanen scored eight goals and six assists, and he now leads the NHL with 15 points. The 28-year-old has contributed to each of his team’s last 12 goals. He’s also been involved in 62.5 percent of Dallas’ 24 goals in these playoffs.

While the spotlight was on Rantanen after his hat trick and the Stars’ first win of the series, left winger Jason Robertson returned to the lineup for the first time since their last regular-season game. He played 13:44 of ice time and recorded one shot on goal in his return from injury.

Jets center Mark Scheifele also returned to the lineup. 

This was Scheifele’s first game back since leaving during Game 5 against the St. Louis Blues in the first round with an undisclosed injury.

The 32-year-old had an immediate impact for Winnipeg, scoring late in the second period to make it a one-goal game. He took seven shots and played 22:36 of ice time. 

Winnipeg made a strong push late in the contest during the 6-on-5 scenario and was hoping for another episode of Manitoba Magic, much like in Game 7 against the Blues when they tied the game with 1.6 seconds left to force overtime and eventually win the series.

Despite the team’s late scramble to equalize, Jets coach Scott Arniel was not impressed with his team’s overall performance.

“There was a lot of sloppiness to that game,” Arniel told reporters. "That did not feel like a playoff game in Game 1 in Round 2. That felt like Game 45 in the middle of December.”

Arniel added that he didn’t like his team’s execution, specifically after winning draws and their passing. He highlighted there was more time and space on the ice than when they faced St. Louis, but his players didn’t take advantage of that.

Winnipeg will host Game 2 on Friday at 9:30 p.m. ET, before the series shifts to Dallas for Games 3 and 4.

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Rantanen, McDavid Or Nylander: Who Are The Early Conn Smythe Favorites?

Terrence Lee-Imagn Images

The Conn Smythe Trophy does not get awarded in the first or second round of the playoffs. But less than three weeks into the post-season, it's already clear that some players have emerged as early MVP favorites.

Here's a look at five who are leading their teams to what they hope will be an eventual Stanley Cup — that is, if they can advance to the third and final rounds.

Mikko Rantanen

What else is there to say about the man called Moose?

Rantanen, who singlehandedly brought the Dallas Stars back from the dead in Game 7 against the Avalanche with a hat trick in the third period, followed it up with another “hatty” in Game 1 against Winnipeg. He now leads the playoffs with eight goals — two of which are game-winners — and 15 points in eight games.

Maybe he’s still motivated by the ugly trade that sent him from Colorado-to-Carolina-to-Dallas. Or maybe he’s trying to justify the eight-year, $96-million contract extension he just signed.

Either way, the league’s most underrated superstar is no longer underrated anymore.

'He Was Feeling It': William Nylander Sets The Tone For Maple Leafs Against Panthers'He Was Feeling It': William Nylander Sets The Tone For Maple Leafs Against PanthersThe Toronto Maple Leafs surprised a lot of people by taking Game 1 of their second-round series against the defending Stanley Cup-champion Florida Panthers.

William Nylander

Some players shrink when playing under the bright lights of Toronto. Others feed off the pressure.

“Willy Styles” is in the latter camp.

You can say what you want about the Maple Leafs’ inability to get over the hump in the playoffs. But before you lump Nylander with the other members of the Core Four, keep this in mind: in the past six years, Nylander has scored 23 goals and 45 points in 42 games.

This year, Nylander is once again producing when it matters the most.

After leading all Toronto players with 45 goals in the regular season — his third straight 40-goal season — the 29-year-old has a team-leading eight goals and 13 points in eight games. In the process, he has helped the Leafs to a 2-0 series lead against Florida, while also helping veteran linemates’ John Tavares (three goals and five points) and Max Pacioretty (two goals and six points) turn back the clock.

Max Pacioretty Reinvents Himself With Toronto Maple LeafsMax Pacioretty Reinvents Himself With Toronto Maple LeafsMax Pacioretty wasn’t the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Masterton Award nominee, but he’s making a big impact in his comeback.

Connor McDavid

A year ago, McDavid led the playoffs in scoring with 42 points in 25 games. So it’s not exactly surprising that the Edmonton Oilers captain already has 13 points in seven games. What might be noteworthy is that 12 of those points have come in even-strength situations.

That’s more than anyone has scored in 5-on-5.

As opponents know, you can’t stop McDavid. All you can really do is limit his production. Even then, good luck.

After going without a point in Game 2 of a first-round series against the LA Kings, McDavid has been riding a six-game point streak, with nine points during that span. So what if he only has two goals. When you’re on a team that also includes Leon Draisaitl (four goals and 12 points), you don’t need to always be the one scoring.

Kyle Connor

It was Winnipeg's Cole Perfetti who forced overtime in Game 7 against the St. Louis Blues, and it was Adam Lowry who scored the eventual series winner. But in a playoffs where Mark Scheifele has battled injury and Connor Hellebuyck has battled the ghosts of post-seasons' past, Connor has been the steady leader.

All he does is produce. And he tends to produce when it matters the most.

Connor, who led the Jets with 41 goals and 97 points in the regular season, has four goals and 12 points in eight playoff games. Two of his goals have been game-winners.

In Game 7, he set up three goals as Winnipeg did the improbable and came back 4-3 against St. Louis.

"You’re not just going to sit there and sulk,” Connor told reporters. “You have to do anything you can to help the team push forward."

NHL Playoffs 2025: Winners And Losers From Round 1 Feature Rantanen, Necas And MoreNHL Playoffs 2025: Winners And Losers From Round 1 Feature Rantanen, Necas And MoreJust like that, the NHL’s 2025 Stanley Cup playoff field is cut in half. 

Andrei Svechnikov

The Hurricanes are not a star-driven team. That's mostly by design.

The reason why Mikko Rantanen never really found a home in Carolina is because coach Rod Brind'Amour prefers to roll four lines rather than relying on one or two players to get the win.

And yet, where would Carolina be without Svechnikov? The Russian winger only had 20 goals in the regular season, but in the playoffs he's enjoying a sort of coming-out-party with five goals and six points in six games. Those aren't Rantanen-like numbers.

But on a team where everyone is expected to chip in, Svechnikov is chipping in a little bit more than everyone else. It's why the Hurricanes rolled over the Devils in the first round and also why they grabbed a 1-0 series lead against the Capitals in the second round.

The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live: Join The Chat As Maple Leafs Take 2-0 Series Lead Over Panthers

Mitch Marner (Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images)

Welcome to The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live, streaming nightly during the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs.

After the big game of the night, our experts go live to react to the match that was, break down the key moments and storylines and read your opinions.

On tonight's show, Ryan Kennedy, Michael Traikos and Andrew McInnis discuss the Toronto Maple Leafs beating the Florida Panthers in Game 2 to take a 2-0 series lead in the second round.

Leafs vs Panthers Game 2 - Playoff Frenzy | The Hockey NewsLeafs vs Panthers Game 2 - Playoff Frenzy | The Hockey NewsWelcome to Playoff Frenzy Live by The Hockey News presented by STIX.com, where we give our live reactions and break down the latest news to all the biggest g...

They also take a quick look around the NHL, including the Winnipeg Jets and Dallas Stars kicking off their series.

Share your thoughts in the comments, and the hosts may discuss your message during the stream.

Check out the show right now.

NHL Referee Wes McCauley Subs In As Linesman During Leafs And Panthers' Game 2

Wes McCauley (Brad Penner-Imagn Images)

Longtime NHL referee Wes McCauley filled in as a linesman during Game 2 of the second-round series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers.

McCauley, 53, entered the action in the third period of Wednesday evening's game. He replaced linesman Shandor Alphonso, who did not return. No details are reported about why Alphonso left the game.

McCauley was the standby official in this game. He officiated Game 1 of the series between the Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes in Washington, D.C., Tuesday night. That game went to overtime before the Hurricanes' Jaccob Slavin scored the game-winning goal.

Instead of wearing his regular No. 4, McCauley sported the No. 85 on a linesman uniform without the orange band on the sleeves. 

McCauley made his NHL officiating debut on Jan. 20, 2003, and became a full-time official in 2005. Since then, he's officiated 1,439 regular-season games and 211 playoff contests.

The Georgetown, Ont., native played four seasons for Michigan State University's men's hockey squad in the NCAA between 1989-90 and 1992-93. In 1990, the Detroit Red Wings selected him 150th overall in the NHL draft. While he never played an NHL game, he did play in the ECHL, the now-defunct IHL and Colonial Hockey League and in Italy. 

Alphonso, meanwhile, officiated his first NHL game on Oct. 17, 2014, and his first playoff game on Aug. 2, 2020. He's officiated 735 regular-season games and 42 playoff games. Before his professional career as a linesperson, he played left wing for the OHL's Sudbury Wolves from 2001 to 2004. The 40-year-old from Orangeville, Ont., had 73 points in 183 OHL games before playing Jr. A hockey in 2004-05, then U Sports hockey at Lakehead University for five years.

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Max Pacioretty Reinvents Himself With Toronto Maple Leafs

Max Pacioretty (Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images)  

Max Pacioretty wasn’t the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Masterton Award nominee, but he’s making a big impact in his comeback.

About a month ago, we argued that center John Tavares deserved to be the Maple Leafs’ nominee for the Masterton Award, given annually to the NHL player who “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication” to the game. He was the nominee but is not a finalist this year.

But multiple players can be deserving of the nomination, and Pacioretty has reinvented himself at 36 to be one of the best bargain pickups of the season.

When Pacioretty landed in Toronto in October, it’s safe to say there wasn’t a long lineup of teams for his services. He suffered through multiple serious injuries, and he hadn’t played more than 71 games in a season since 2016-11, when he was still with the Montreal Canadiens. He was well out of his prime, and he bounced between the Vegas Golden KnightsCarolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals in the previous three seasons.

But Pacioretty continued to bet on himself, to the point he signed a pro tryout agreement with the Leafs. He showed enough in training camp to earn a spot with the Buds – albeit, on a contract that paid him the relatively modest amount of $873,770. Still, Pacioretty joined a Leafs club that had serious playoff aspirations, and that was good enough for him to agree to extend his career in the Blue and White.

That said, it wasn’t as if the regular season was all sunshine and rainbows for Pacioretty. 

He once again had difficulty staying healthy, and he was a healthy scratch at times as well. 

To Pacioretty’s credit, he stuck with it, and along the way to the playoffs, he also became a physical power forward in a way he hadn’t been in his previous 16 seasons, certainly not in his early years as a cornerstone part of the Canadiens. His 12.61 hits per 60 minutes during the regular season is a career high. 

In doing so, he gave Leafs coach Craig Berube enough of a sample size to give him more chances.

Pacioretty was again a healthy scratch to begin the first round against the Ottawa Senators. He didn’t get into any playoff action until Game 3, but that physical edge he developed wound up serving Pacioretty very well. 

In Game 6, Pacioretty wound up scoring the series-winning goal. It was a wonderful moment of redemption for him, and he went on a roll that included a two-assist performance in Game 1 of Toronto’s second-round series against the Florida Panthers. He continued his roll with a goal and an assist in Game 2.

Pacioretty has become a key component of the Leafs’ second line, playing alongside Tavares and William Nylander. He’s punishing opponents with his 6-foot-2 frame and opening up time and space for his linemates.

All in all, it’s been a terrific career turnaround for Pacioretty. He may not get to the 1,000-game mark – he’s currently at 939 career regular-season games – but he’s managed to carve out a special place for two Original Six franchises, and he’s become an excellent example of what can await you as a player if you stick it out and flip the bird to Father Time.

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The Islanders Winning The Draft Lottery Makes Their Next GM's Path To Success Much Clearer

J.G. Pageau, Noah Dobson and Anders Lee (Robert Edwards-Imagn Images)

After not renewing the contract of GM Lou Lamoriello late last month, the New York Islanders entered a period of transition.

But after winning the NHL’s draft lottery Monday night and capturing the first overall pick in this summer’s NHL draft, the Islanders likely won’t have to suffer for as long as some less-fortunate franchises will. And consequently, whoever replaces Lamoriello in the GM role will get a very attractive position.

The Islanders' GM job always has a higher profile than many GM jobs around the league. Being in the greater New York City area puts the Isles in the spotlight. The Hockey News’ Stefen Rosner also mentioned it’s an appealing position for former GMs to get back in the role or a stepping stone for people who haven’t been GM before.

A report in the Athletic has identified a couple of candidates who could be front-runners for the role – former Montreal Canadiens GM and current L.A. Kings executive Marc Bergevin is one of them, as is former Detroit Red Wings and Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland. 

But make no mistake – the Islanders winning the draft lottery puts more shine on the team’s bumper than picking ninth or 10th overall. It makes the future much clearer for the Islanders.

Many hockey observers – including The Hockey News draft experts Ryan Kennedy and Tony Ferrari – project the Islanders to select defenseman Matthew Schaefer this summer. Bringing in a foundational blueliner gives the Isles exactly what they need – a bedrock asset with star potential the organization hasn’t had much of since they made center John Tavares the first-overall selection in 2009.

New York Islanders Win NHL Draft Lottery: Who Should They Pick First Overall?New York Islanders Win NHL Draft Lottery: Who Should They Pick First Overall?The NHL draft lottery was broadcast live for all to see, and the balls fell in the New York Islanders’ favor.

With Schaefer in tow, the Islanders can press fast-forward on their retool, and what GM candidate wouldn’t want to be part of that process? They can select a new prospect who should lead the ‘D’ corps with or without No. 1 D-man Noah Dobson for the next decade-and-a-half, and they’ll have the financial resources to add to the group in free agency and trades this summer.

The Islanders have $28.3 million in cap space this summer, with about 14 players on their active roster under contract and seven RFAs to re-sign, including Dobson. With the opportunity to select Schaefer on the table, and with center Mat Barzal being at the beginning of his prime years, the Islanders can build a younger core that learns from their aging veterans, gets competitive experience and takes over once those veterans move on.

While the Islanders needed lottery luck to have this positive spin put on their team-building situation, who cares how they got it? All that matters is that they got it and didn’t have to tank in the process.

Matthew Schaefer Should Be No. 1, But Will He Be In The NHL Next Season?Matthew Schaefer Should Be No. 1, But Will He Be In The NHL Next Season?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.

In many ways, NHL GMs are no different than the rest of us – we’ve all got relatively short patience spans. If we have to suffer standing in a long lineup outside a chic club, we’ll suffer to try to get in. But if there’s a way that we can jump the line and get into that club right away, we’d be fools not to take it. That’s the situation the Islanders are in. They just had the hockey gods smile upon them, and they can go about their business knowing a valuable asset fell into their lap.

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