For years, the New York Islanders were routinely ranked near the bottom of league-wide prospect pool evaluations. Under former GM Lou Lamoriello, the Isles often traded picks and prospects for win-now players, leaving the pipeline dry and fans wondering where the next wave of talent would come from. That's what happens when you make no 1st round picks in four years.
That narrative has now flipped in a big way. and the days of scrolling to the bottom of prospect rankings in hopes of finding one Islander are over.
In the latest Scott Wheeler Top 100 NHL Prospect Rankings, the Islanders made a thunderous statement—placing five players on the list, more than perennial prospect factories like Carolina or Boston.