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Picks 16 and 17: the Islanders select two of the most competitive players in the draft
Charles-Alexis Brisebois
Picks 16 and 17: the Islanders select two of the most competitive players in the draft
Credit: Getty Images
Times are changing in New York.

Whereas Lou Lamoriello never wanted to look to the future and always focused on the present on Long Island, Mathieu Darche has taken a very different approach.

The proof? Mathieu Darche drafted three times yesterday and his predecessor spoke just four times in seven years in the first round since 2018. It’s still crazy… especially when you consider that Darche has publicly said he wants to aim for the playoffs in 2026.

Of course, the Noah Dobson deal changed all that. The defenseman couldn’t find common ground with the Islanders, forcing his GM to trade him so as not to lose him a year from now.

And even though he wanted short-term reinforcement first, Darche realized that, the way Dobson’s market had developed, moving into the future was the right thing to do.

As a result, the Québécois GM went through quite a draft.

The proof? Scott Wheeler of The Athletic ranked the Islanders at the top of yesterday’s draft winners… and it’s not just because the club had first dibs: he liked picks 16 and 17.

What strikes me most is that Matthew Schaefer, Victor Eklund and Kashawn Aitcheson, the Islanders’ three picks yesterday, are three of the biggest contenders in the 2025 auction.

Darche clearly has a style of player in mind…

It’s not hard to imagine all three forming the Islanders’ identity and building a winning culture. – Scott Wheeler

Under Patrick Roy, who has obviously been an outstanding competitor for decades, it’s logical to believe that the Islanders will find their heels on the Noah Dobson deal (Emil Heineman, Eklund and Aitcheson, ultimately) in the next few years.

Grant McCagg is also of the same opinion concerning the two players drafted with the Canadiens’ picks.

If the Habs and Islanders can get what they’re looking for, so much the better. And while the Canadiens scouts are surely disappointed they didn’t get to talk yesterday, the Canadiens got what they wanted.

I think both the Islanders (who wanted to move up for James Hagens) and the Habs (to draft in the first round) would have loved to move up in the draft, but it didn’t happen.

Note that the Bruins (James Hagens), Blues (Justin Carbonneau of the Blinvvillle-Boisssbrien Aaarda) and Capitals (Lynden Lakovic) are also among the draft winners, according to Wheeler.

I’m not saying this at the end of my text just because I wanted to try and write the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada like Nikki Glaser said yesterday for the Blues. No, no, no…


overtime

– A message from Noah Dobson.

– Please note.

– Indeed.

– Interesting.

– Now that’s funny.

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