My 2026 NHL Mock Draft - Top 15
1. Toronto Maple Leafs – Gavin McKenna
2. San Jose Sharks – Ivar Stenberg
3. Vancouver Canucks – Caleb Malhotra
4. Chicago Blackhawks – Chase Reid
5. New York Rangers – Carson Carels
6. Calgary Flames – Keaton Verhoeff
7. Seattle Kraken – Viggo Björck
8. Winnipeg Jets – Alberts Smits
9. Florida Panthers – Tynan Lawrence
10. Nashville Predators – Daxon Rudolph
11. St. Louis Blues – Ethan Belchetz
12. New Jersey Devils – Oscar Hemming
13. New York #Isles – Adam Novotny
14. Columbus Blue Jackets – Ryan Lin
15. St. Louis Blues – Oliver Suvanto
It’s hard to pass on Ryan Lin at 13 but Novotny is a physical, high-motor, scoring winger who can help the Islanders’ forward group almost immediately.
If you’re not too familiar with his game, he has a contact driven style. He battles in the dirty areas, has a heavy shot, excels on the forecheck and effectively uses hits and good positioning to force turnovers. Might be one of the most NHL ready players in the draft and is described as a full time team player with heavy top six potential.
If I had to guess, Darche is looking for someone with immediate impact and Novotny would jump right into the Top 3 Islanders prospects in the system for me, could even battle for a spot out of training camp.
What do you think? How does your mock shake out and who do you believe lands at 13 with the Isles?
@XFactor3kze I have Cullen just outside my top 15, but I can honestly see him going anywhere from 8 to 16. He’s a bit of a wildcard for me, but I really like his game and what he brings.
@SpodaddyJr I love Lin but I think Novotny brings a little more security. I trust his overall game a bit more at this point. With that said, I don’t think you can really go wrong with either player.
I agree, and I don’t think Novotny is just a middle-six projection either. There are too many positives in his game at this stage of his development to cap him there. That’s a good assessment of where he is and where he could land with the team that drafts him. A 2nd line ceiling feels like a good bet imo.
@PNilan91592 I just wonder how the Islanders are grading these guys and if they trust their board enough to know where the drop-off actually is. Really interested to see how this plays out.
The Islanders only have one pick in the top 100 right now.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the #Isles traded down at the draft to add more assets. Either that or they do something to get themselves back into that range.
I’ve had that feeling for a while, and the draft combine list only made it more interesting. They met with a lot of players projected around the late 1st and 2nd round.
That doesn’t guarantee anything, but it does make you wonder.
So what do you think? Do they stay at 13, or trade back and load up?
@pet75210 I really think so too. It’s been talked about a ton already, but the Schenn trade really did slow down the momentum they were building with their futures. Trading back makes a lot of sense to me and that’s probably why it won’t happen.
My Top 15 #Isles Prospect Rankings - May 2026
15. Josh Kotai
14. Luca Romano
13. Marshall Warren
12. Kamil Bednarik
11. Tomas Poletin
10. Jacob Kvasnicka
9. Daniil Prokhorov
8. Quinn Finley
7. Xavier Veilleux
6. Danny Nelson
5. Isaiah George
4. Cole Eiserman
3. Dmitry Gamzin
2. Kashawn Aitcheson
1. Victor Eklund
Looking at this list, one thing is clear. The Islanders are in a great spot heading into the 2026 draft. What do you guys think? Which prospects are you highest on?
My Top 15 #Isles Prospect Rankings - May 2026
1. Victor Eklund
Eklund is my #1 Islanders prospect, and for good reason.
Some players on this list have individual traits that really stand out. But Eklund has the best blend of translatable hockey habits in the system.
What
My Top 15 #Isles Prospect Rankings - May 2026
2. Kashawn Aitcheson
Kashawn Aitcheson is already a fan favorite without having to play a single professional game. That really says a lot about the 19 year old who plays with bite and a big personality.
He isn’t just a physical
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