Arizona State defenseman Lincoln Kuenhe was drafted 109th by the New York Islanders in the 2026 NHL Draft. 

Kuehne is a six-foot-one, 209-pound defender who hails from Fargo, North Dakota. He spent two years on the back end with the USNTDP, where he recorded 11 and 10 points, respectively. Before heading south to Tempe, Kuehne finished fifth on his squad with 51 penalty minutes and a +10 rating during his second season in the program.

The Fargo, ND native  spent most of the year in a depth role with Arizona State, but he’ll get a chance to play bigger minutes this year as nearly the entire defense core departed in the offseason. He’s a very quick and agile player who is a shutdown defenseman on the back end. 

He is not the flashiest player, recording just one goal and one assist in 30 games. His strengths are in his skating and in his defensive abilities. However, Kuehne has a very active stick and is talented at protecting the puck, as well. 

Arizona State reloaded with a plethora of new players via the transfer portal, including a potential defensive partner in Filip Nordberg from Merrimack. 2026-27 should give fans a better indication of Kuehne’s ceiling. If his physical yet reliable performance continues, Kuehne could be a potential nightly shutdown defenseman for the Islanders in a few years.