Tonight begins the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, and all eyes are on the New York Rangers, who, with the first overall pick, are likely to select Alexis Lafreniere. For the New York Islanders, on the other hand, all of their picks come tomorrow, on day two, as they dealt their first and second-round picks to the Ottawa Senators in the Jean-Gabriel Pageau trade. Their current cabinet of picks include:

• Round 3, Pick 90
• Round 4, Pick 121
• Round 5, Pick 152
• Round 6, Pick 183
• Round 7, Pick 214

The Islanders have had previous success in the later rounds of the draft, drafting players that are current members of the NHL team, including captain Anders Lee, Devon Toews, Ilya Sorokin, and Casey Cizikas, and there is no reason that success can continue this year. Let’s take a look at some of the players the Islanders could draft in the later rounds.

Alex Laferriere, LW, Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL)

Yes, the name may be deceiving you, but no, this is not the player who is projected to go first overall, but a different player who, in his own right, could be a great pick. Laferriere spent last season in the USHL with the Des Moines Buccaneers, scoring 19 goals and 45 points in 42 games. At six feet, 179 pounds, he is not the biggest player, but the New Jersey native is known to play a strong game in the offensive zone, finding areas on the ice to shoot from, taking advantage of his NHL-ready shot. His offensive strengths do not diminish his work in the other end, as he is strong on man-to-man coverage in the defensive zone. His one shortcoming is his skating, which has improved over the past year. He is continuing his hockey career at Harvard University this coming season, which could be a big benefit since he will be playing against stronger opponents in the NCAA than he did in the USHL. Laferriere has been projected anywhere from the third round to the sixth round and could be worth the pick for any team that decides to pick him up.

Antonio Stranges, LW, London Knights (OHL)

Stranges is one of the more interesting players in this year’s draft. The Michigan native stands at five-foot-ten, 170 pounds, so he isn’t a big-body forward, yet for a small guy, his skillset is fantastic. He increased his scoring numbers, tallying 19 goals and 40 points in 61 games with the London Knights this past season. He is an outstanding skater and has great puckhandling skills, but he has had a tough time on the other side of the puck. His ice time in some games has decreased due to some errors in the defensive zone such as exiting the zone before the puck is cleared in order to find an offensive chance that may not even occur. Stranges is projected to be picked in the third or fourth round, and if the Islanders are looking for a player with strong offensive talent with one of their picks and he is available, he could be an option for Lou Lamoriello and the scouting department.

Benjamin Baumgartner, C, HC Davos (NLA)

This is Baumgartner’s third year of draft eligibility, and the Austrian is likely going to be drafted his third time around. The five-foot-nine, 165 pounds forward put up strong numbers for a 20-year-old playing in the top men’s league in Switzerland, scoring seven goals and totaling 27 points in 37 games with HC Davos, which is nothing to pass over. He is a strong skater with a good first-push of speed, and has great hand-eye coordination, making him much more likely to end up becoming a playmaker in the NHL more than anything else. His defensive awareness is not the greatest, and that is one thing that the team that drafts him is likely to work on, but whoever drafts Baumgartner is taking a player that may only be one or two years away from making an impact in the NHL. He has been projected to go between the fifth and seventh rounds and is a player that the Islanders should definitely look into drafting if he is available.

Eemil Viro, D, TPS (Liiga)

If a team is looking for a strong-skating, two-way defenseman, then they should be looking at Viro. The Finnish defenseman spent last season playing in the top league in his home country as a 17-year-old, tallying three assists in 29 games with TPS. That may not look like much, but a 17-year-old playing in the Liiga is not something you find often and a great accomplishment. Where Viro makes an impact is with his skating and his defense. He is one of the best skaters in the draft class, and has great acceleration, especially in his first few strides. He uses that great skating in order to excel in the defensive end as he is tough to beat in man-on-man coverage. Viro is strong in the transition game, turning turnovers that he causes into offensive scoring chances using his speed to his advantage. Viro has been projected to go anywhere from the second to the fourth round, so it is risky to think that he may be there when their pick comes around in the third round, but if he is, the Islanders could look to draft him.

Ville Ottavainen, D, Kitchener Rangers (OHL)

Ottavainen spent the 2019-20 season with the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL, scoring four goals and 15 points in 53 games, but after a year in the CHL, he is headed back to his home country, Finland, to play with Karpat in the Liiga. He is labeled as a “project” defenseman or a prospect in need of development, but that is one of the main reasons a team picks the players they do, to help them develop. Ottavainen’s struggles start with his speed, as at six-foot-four, 201 pounds, he doesn’t have great first-step speed, but his stride is there. He has a strong slapshot, but the accuracy needs some work, and sometimes his defensive decision making is a little rough. He won’t be one of those players that makes it to the NHL quick, but with the help of an NHL team’s development coaches and Karpat’s development staff, Ottavainen could become a strong bottom-pair option. He is projected from the fifth to the seventh round, so he could be a low-risk draft pick for a team like the Islanders that likes big defensemen.

Dylan Garand, G, Kamloops Blazers (WHL)

Goalies are always the hardest to judge when it comes to draft boards, as unlike other skaters, they have a unique job that’s hard to compare to what a forward or defenseman does. Garand, a British Columbia native, finished with a 28-10-3 record, a 2.21 goals-against average, and a .921 save percentage with four shutouts in 42 games last year with the Kamloops Blazers. He has a strong glove hand and has the ability to make highlight-reel saves night after night, and moves with the shooter well to block any open space. The one downside is that he is a smaller goalie. Standing six-foot-one and weighing 172 pounds, he tends to struggle with high shots, which some smaller goalies in the NHL tend to deal with. Garand is slated to be selected between the fifth and seventh rounds, and if a team is willing to put in the time to develop him and are willing to have him make his NHL debut later, then he would be worth the pick. The Islanders have little goaltending depth, and adding to it could be part of the front office’s plan during the draft.

SEF