In a surprise, the New York Islanders have selected Swedish winger Simon Holmstrom with the 23rd overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft in Vancouver. Holmstrom, a sniper with the HV71 Junior team, was seen as likely to be a second-round pick by many prognosticators, though a few had him as high as the top 20.
In doing so, the Islanders left some prominent North American-based forwards on the board like centers Ryan Suzuki and Philip Tomasino (who Nashville selected with the next pick).
Holmstrom is listed at 6’1 and 193 lbs. He put up 7-13—20 in 21 games with the HV71 junior team in 2018-19, and put up 3-3-6 in 7 games at the U18 World Championship.