Following Lou Lamoriello’s departure from the New York Islanders organization on Tuesday, it’s been a time of looking back on the impact he had on the franchise in his seven-year tenure.
Any executive’s legacy can be defined by player development, and for Lamoriello, it’s a complicated conversation.
Over the seven years, he picked players who would become key pieces to the team’s core, names who are probable to make it to the big club in the near future, and a few longshot hopefuls. With the Islanders’ future in the front office unknown, here’s a year-by-year profile of each season’s draft class:
2018: (He didn’t play a big role in this draft)
First Round, 11th Overall: Oliver Wahlstrom, Forward
- Islanders Stats: 36 goals and 35 assists, 71 points in 220 games
- Placed on waivers on Dec. 13, claimed by Boston Bruins
First Round, 12th Overall: Noah Dobson, Defenseman:
- Islanders Stats: 50 goals and 180 assists for 230 points in 388 games
- Currently a restricted free agent
Second Round, 41st Overall: Bode Wilde, Defenseman:
- Bridgeport Stats: Three goals and five assists for eight points in 42
- Played last season EC Bad Nauheim (DEL2)
Second Round, 43rd Overall: Ruslan Iskahkov, Forward:
- Islanders Stats: One assist in his lone NHL game
- Left for CSKA Moscow last offseason, Islanders retain his rights
Third Round, 72nd Overall: Jakob Skarek, Goaltender:
- Made NHL debut on Feb. 2 against Florida Panthers
- Islanders Stats: 0-1-0 with 3.94 GAA and .872 SV% in two games
Fourth Round, 103rd Overall: Jake Pivonka, Center:
- Played nine games with AHL Bridgeport, scored 21 goals with 24 assist for 45 points in 60 games for ECHL Worcester
- Played for Dusseldorf EG in DEL this season
Fifth Round, 134th Overall: Blade Jenkins, Forward
- Played three seasons in Islanders system
- Currently a member of the New York Rangers organization, playing with Hartford Wolfpack
Seventh Round, 196th Overall: Christian Krygier, Defenseman:
- Completed second season in Islanders organization between Bridgeport and Worcester
- Played college hockey at Michigan State
2019:
First Round, 23rd Overall: Simon Holmstrom, Forward
- Islanders Stats: 41 goals and 38 assists, 79 points in 200 games
- Notched first career season with 20 goals this season
Second Round, 57th Overall: Samuel Bolduc, Defenseman:
- Islanders Stats: Four goals and four assists, eight points in 52 games
- Made one appearance for big club on Nov. 3.
Fifth Round, 147th Overall: Reece Newkirk, Forward
- Played in Islanders system for three seasons
- Member of Tampa Bay Lightning organization with ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears
Sixth Round, 178th Overall: Felix Bibeau, Forward
- Played two seasons in the Islanders organization
- Retired at 23-years old in 2022, currently assistant coach with Chicoutimi Saguenéens
Seventh Round, 209th Overall: Cole Coskey, Forward:
- Played two seasons in Islanders organization
- Currently a member of Pirati Chomutov in 2nd Czech Republic Hockey League
2020:
Third Round, 90th Overall: Alexander Ljungkrantz, Forward:
- Yet to play a game in North America
- Playing games in Sweden
Fourth Round, 121th Overall: Alex Jefferies, Forward:
- Bridgeport Stats: 17 goals and 19 assists, 36 points in 71 games
- Played four seasons at Merrimack College
Fifth Round, 152nd Overall: William Dufour, Forward
- Bridgeport Stats: 44 goals and 47 assists, 91 points in 169 games
- Played one game in NHL in 2022-23, trade in Brock Nelson deal in March
Sixth Round, 183rd Overall: Matias Rajaniemi, Defenseman
- Completed first season in the Islanders organization
- Played 61 games in Worcester, recording five goals and five assists for 10 points
Seventh Round, 214th Overall: Henrik Tikkanen, Goaltender:
- Bridgeport Stats: 14-24-5 record, 3.32 GAA and .880 SV% in 48 games
- Completed third season in Islanders organization
2021:
Second Round, 52nd Overall: Aatu Raty, Forward:
- Islanders Stats: Two goals in 12 games
- Traded with Anthony Beauvillier for Bo Horvat in 2023
Third Round, 93rd Overall: Tristan Lennox, Goaltender:
- Made NHL debut on April 10
- Completed second season in Islanders organization
Fourth Round, 125th Overall: Cameron Berg, Forward:
- Scored two goals in three games with AHL Islanders
- Notched 12 goals and 10 assists for 22 points in 26 games with University of North Dakota
Fifth Round, 157th Overall: Eetu Liukas, Forward:
- Bridgeport Stats: Nine goals and nine assists for 18 points in 99 games
- Won silver for Finland at 2022 World Junior Championship
Sixth Round, 189th Overall: Aleksi Malinen, Defenseman:
- Spent entire career JYP Jyväskylä (Liiga)
- Yet to play in North America
Seventh Round, 221st Overall: Tomas Machu, Defenseman:
- Played for Providence College last season
- Spent prior two seasons with Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
2022
Second Round, 65th Overall: Calle Odelius, Defenseman:
- Bridgeport Stats: One goal and 12 assists, 13 points in 62 games
- Completed first season in Islanders organization after playing in Sweden
Third Round, 78th Overall: Quinn Finley, Forward:
- Recorded 20 goasl with 20 assists in 40 games with the University of Wisconsin last season
- Won gold at World Junior Championship in January
Fourth Round, 98th Overall: Isaiah George, Defenseman:
- Islanders Stats: One goal and four assists, five points in 33 games
- Completed first season in organization
Fifth Round, 142nd Overall: Matthew Maggio, Forward:
- Bridgeport Stats: 23 goals and 25 assists, 48 points in 124 games
- Won OHL’s Red Tilson Trophy for MVP in 2022-23
Sixth Round, 174th Overall: Daylan Kuefler, Forward:
- Bridgeport Stats: Three goals and six assists, nine points in 38 games
- Played second season in Islanders organization
2023:
Second Round, 49th Overall: Danny Nelson, Forward:
- Recorded 13 goals and 13 assists for 26 points in 36 games at Notre Dame
- Won back-to-back gold medals at World Juniors in 2024 and ‘25
Fourth Round, 113th Overall: Jesse Nurmi, Forward:
- Played first season in North America with London Knights, recording nine goals and 22 assists for 31 points in 58 games
- Won silver medal at 2025 World Juniors
Fifth Round, 145th Overall: Justin Gill, Forward:
- Split time between Bridgeport and Worcester, first season in Islanders organization
- Recorded eight goals and 14 assists for 22 points in 23 games for Worcester
Sixth Round, 177th Overall: Zachary Schulz, Defenseman:
- Recorded two goals and nine assists for 11 points at University of Wisconsin
- Currently a sophomore with the Badgers
Seventh Round, 209th Overall: Dennis Good Bogg, Defenseman:
- Yet to play in North America
- Played with Östersunds IK and Mariestad BoIS in Sweden
2024:
First Round, 20th Overall: Cole Eiserman, Forward:
- Recorded 25 goals and 11 assists for 36 points in 39 games with Boston University
- Made Frozen Four championship, scored in loss to Western Michigan
Second Round, 54th Overall: Jesse Pulkkinen, Defenseman:
- Played with JYP Jyväskylä in Liiga (Finland) after being loaned back from Bridgeport
- Had an assist in 10 games after signing ELC
Second Round, 61st Overall: Kamil Bednarik, Forward:
- Had two goals and 17 assists for 19 points in 40 games for Boston University
- Made Frozen Four championship
Fourth Round, 115th Overall: Dmitry Gamzin, Goaltender:
- Played between Zvezda VDV and CSKA Moscow (Russia) this season
- Under contract with CSKA next season, had 7-8-6 record with 2.24 GAA and .928 SV%
Fifth Round, 147th Overall: Marcus Gidlof, Goaltender:
- Played for Leksands IF (Sweden) last season
- Had 11-6-9 record with 2.33 GAA and .908 SV% at SHL level last season
Sixth Round, 179th Overall: Xavier Veilleux, Defenseman:
- Had eight goals and 33 assists for 41 points in 61 games with Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
- Committed to Harvard next season
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Matthew Page wrote this story.