In terms of Islanders draft picks, there have been plenty of hits and plenty of misses . Every draft has its steals, leaving all the other teams wondering how their franchise could have been different if they took that player. So, let’s review some recent Islanders first round draft picks, and who they would have taken if they could go back in time.

Out: Kieffer Bellows, In: Alex DeBrincat

The Islanders drafted Kieffer Bellows 16th overall in the 2016 NHL Draft. After getting drafted, Bellows played for Boston University of the NCAA, and the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL. He was given an entry-level contract, and had a disappointing first year with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The next season went better, and he was gifted an eight-game trial where he scored two goals and one assist. Recently, Derick Brassard signed a contract with the Arizona Coyotes, leaving a vacant spot on the third line wing. If Bellows plays his cards right, that could be his spot in 2021.

Bellows isn’t looking like it was a regretful pick, but tons of players drafted after him have already made for themselves in the NHL. The best of the bunch is Alex DeBrincat. “The Cat” was drafted 39th overall, twenty picks later, by the Chicago Blackhawks. Debrincat had two consecutive 100-point OHL seasons in Erie before being drafted, and had a monster 127-point season after the draft selection. DeBrincat has already played three full seasons, scoring over 45 points in each one. In 2019, DeBrincat’s best season, he had 41 goals and 76 points, finishing 33rd in points, and was tied with Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and Nikita Kucherov for 6th in goals scored.

Out: Griffin Reinhart, In: Connor Hellebuyck

The Islanders drafted Griffin Reinhart 4th overall in the 2012 NHL Draft. For two years after getting drafted, Reinhart struggled with the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL. In 2015, Reinhart went to the AHL, and got eight NHL games where he got just one point and was shaky defensively for the Islanders. Reinhart was traded to the Oilers for picks that became Mat Barzal and Anthony Beauvillier, and only scored 1 NHL point for the rest of his NHL career.

Sure, the Reinhart trade was pivotal for the Islanders, but if the Islanders  were to choose a new player at the time, they would likely choose Connor Hellebuyck. Although there were tons of 1st rounders taken after Reinhart that had better NHL careers, Hellebuyck was selected in the 5th round with Pick 130. Since 2012, the Islanders have had plenty of goaltenders come and go, so having Hellebuyck would have changed consistency between the pipes so much. After two amazing seasons at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, and another in the AHL in St. Johns, Hellebuyck’s NHL journey began in 2015. After just one season as the Jets’ backup, Hellebuyck was granted starter, where he immediately became a top goaltender. Hellebuyck was a Vezina Trophy candidate in 2018, and won the trophy in 2020.

Out: Joshua Ho-Sang, In: Brayden Point

Believed to have been falling, the Islanders traded to the back of the 1st round to select Josh Ho-Sang with the 28th pick in the 2014 NHL Draft. However, Ho-Sang has had a rough time getting consistent ice time with the Islanders for the past four seasons. Between 2017 and 2019, Ho-Sang tallied 24 points over 53 games. Due to on-ice and off-ice disputes, Ho-Sang was ultimately buried in the minors, and may never get a chance to touch NHL ice again.

Another player that fans wish their team never passed on was Brayden Point. Point fell all the way until the third round, when Lightning GM Steve Yzerman got nervous he would be taken soon. He ended up trading a 7th round pick to move up one spot, from 80 to 79, and selected Brayden Point. Logically, trading up one pick in the third round doesn’t make much sense, but luckily for the Lightning, they found a diamond in the rough. After two more WHL seasons in Moose Jaw, Brayden Point was ready for the NHL. As a rookie, he scored 40 points, followed by 66 points in his first full NHL season. Then, in 2019, Point took the league by storm, being one of just 14 players to score 90 points. In 2020, Brayden Point was just one point behind teammate Nikita Kucherov for the postseason point leader.

Out: Michael Dal Colle, In: David Pastrnak

Michael Dal Colle was drafted 5th Overall by the Islanders in 2014. Dal Colle played two more seasons, then was chosen to play for the Sound Tigers in 2016. His first season was satisfactory, but the 2017-18 season was a disaster. Dal Colle only had 24 points in 60 AHL games, and looked especially shaky in his first four NHL contests. The next year in the AHL, he bounced back phenomenally. Unfortunately, the talent just didn’t seem to translate in the NHL, where had just seven points in 28 games. Dal Colle got a lot of playing time in 2020, but with 10 points in 53 games, fans called for Dal Colle out of the everyday lineup. Now 24, Dal Colle has room to improve as a player, but likely won’t crack the top-six, or be anywhere close to where the Islanders hoped he’d become when he was drafted.

21 picks later, the Boston Bruins selected David Pastrnak, a lesser-known Czech product. Pastrnak went straight to the Bruins organization. He played most of his time in the NHL for the first two years, but couldn’t crack 30 points. In 2017, “Pasta” blew up with 70 points. His scoring rate only got better, as he quickly became one of the best players in the NHL. In 2020 Pastrnak was on pace for 111 points, and shared the Rocket Richard trophy with Alex Ovechkin.

Out: Ryan Strome, In: Nikita Kucherov

Ryan Strome was drafted 5th Overall in 2011 by the Islanders. After two more OHL seasons, Strome was ready for NHL action. His rookie year was quiet, but played amazing and scored 50 points in his first full year. The next two seasons, Strome slowed down, and scored around 30 points each year. He was then traded to the Oilers on June 22, 2017. Since then, he struggled in Edmonton, but put up a surprising career high 59 points for the Rangers in 2020 playing alongside Artemi Panarin.

Strome is not viewed as a bad pick, but there was definitely more talent the Islanders passed up on. That includes NHL superstar Nikita Kucherov. Drafted 58th overall, the Lightning got another steal that propelled them down the line into winning the Stanley Cup. One year removed from being drafted, Kucherov flew overseas, leaving the KHL to join the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL. Kucherov found his way to the league in 2014, but could get nothing going as a rookie. But then, Kucherov dropped over 60 points and over 80 points his next two seasons. His numbers kept going up as he scored 100 points in 2018. In 2019, Kucherov scored a crazy 128 points, the most of any player in over two decades. Kucherov won the Hart and Ted Lindsay trophies, and continued to be a top scorer in 2020 when he took home the Stanley Cup.

Ben Kule

Die-Hard Islanders fan and writer from Plainview, Long Island, NY. I have a passion and knowledge for this team and I enjoy sharing that with others