New York Islanders General Manager Mathieu Darche doubled down on keeping the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.
With the draft decentralized this year, the Draft Combine in Buffalo is the only time all the GMs will be together in one place. In a story by NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman, Darche said he’d be shocked if he didn’t use the first pick.
“I expect to speak No. 1 on June 27,” the new general manager said Tuesday during the NHL Scouting Combine. “You’ve got to be open to everything, but I’d be shocked if we’re not the one speaking first. When (NHL Commissioner) Gary (Bettman) announces the first pick, I’d be shocked if it’s not the New York Islanders.”
With the San Jose Sharks picking No. 2 overall and top draft prospect Matthew Schaefer seemingly being the best option for GM Mike Grier, trade rumors have run wild.
This isn’t the first time Darche said he expects to use the top pick in the draft. During his introductory press conference, Darche said he would “knock his socks off” to deal the pick.
Islanders keeping all options open for who to pick first
While Schaefer is the No. 1 prospect for the 2025 NHL Draft, Darche said he’s keeping all options open for the New York Islanders.
“There’s a lot of good players,” Darche said. “We’re meeting them this week. The thing I know is, I’m going to end up with a great player that hopefully plays on the island for a long time. So, I’m not worried about the first pick. I think there’s a lot of good players to pick from, and we’ll make a decision in a few weeks.”
With Schaefer only playing 17 games due to an injury this season, his draft profile is slightly skewed. Michael Misa is the second-ranked draft prospect and is the projected selection for the San Jose Sharks.
A dark horse candidate for the New York Islanders to pick at No. 1 is Boston College center James Hagens. Hagens is a Long Island native and has gone on record to say it would be a dream to play for his childhood team.
Hagens started the season as the projected No. 1 draft prospect, but slipped to No. 3 on most draft rankings.
The NHL Draft will be held in Los Angeles on June 27th and 28th.
Read more news and stories about the San Jose Sharks on Sharks Hockey Digest! Bookmark the page and follow Sharks Hockey Digest on Twitter @SharksHKYDigest!
