An exciting prospect with a high-end skill set, Tynan Lawrence would be difficult to pass up if still available for the Islanders at No. 13.
With mock drafts and rankings running rampant, one name that has been connected to the New York Islanders is Boston University's Tynan Lawrence.
The left-shot center, who stands 6-foot and 185 pounds, had an up-and-down season, led by a lower-body injury sustained during the 2025-26 USHL preseason with the Muskegon Lumberjacks, which ultimately led him to join Boston University a semester early to close out the year.
In 13 games with Muskegon, he recorded 10 goals and three assists, followed by two goals and five assists in 18 games with Boston University.
While his collegiate production was not where many expected it to be, Lawrence improved with each game, scoring five points in his final five contests, even as Boston University struggled down the stretch.
As a result, his placement in draft rankings has been anything but a consensus, ranging from a projected top-five pick to the mid-teens.
While it is more likely than not that Lawrence will be off the board by the time the Islanders select at No. 13, if he is still available, he would likely be the expected pick.
After going without a first-round selection from 2020 through 2023, the Islanders have consistently drafted with a best-player-available mindset, selecting Cole Eiserman with the 20th pick in 2024, along with Victor Eklund and Kashawn Aitcheson at 16 and 17 in 2025.
All three players were projected by many to go inside the top 10 of their respective drafts.
The 2026 NHL Draft is as wide open as any in recent memory, especially in the No. 5 through No. 20 range, creating a plausible pathway for Lawrence to become an Islander, which would massively strengthen the prospect pool.
Despite having strong center depth at the NHL level, the Islanders lack high-upside organizational depth down the middle. Plus, you can never have too many centers.
Another factor working in Lawrence's favor is the Islanders' familiarity with his developmental background.
Over the past five drafts, the Islanders have selected more players out of the USHL than any other league, while also showing trust in Jay Pandolfo's Boston University program with the selections of Eiserman and Kamil Bednarik (No. 61 in 2024).
There is also an additional connection through the Lumberjacks, where Lawrence won the 2025 Clark Cup alongside Islanders prospect Xavier Veilleux (No. 179 in 2024).
Versatility is another reason the fit makes sense.
An agile, aggressive skater who thrives in transition and plays a strong 200-foot game, Lawrence fits the mold of what Mathieu Darche is building. He is unafraid to drive the net and has shown an ability to score in a variety of ways.
Even with a limited sample size during his draft year, the Boston University forward demonstrated he can handle the NCAA level, setting the stage for a potential offensive breakout.
There is still work to do in proving his offensive production can consistently translate at the collegiate level, but the underlying skill set is more than capable of supporting it.
At his ceiling, Lawrence projects as a top-six center with the ability to contribute on both the power play and penalty kill.
Islanders fans should not expect him to still be available at No. 13 -- it is possible he goes as high as No. 5 to the New York Rangers, given Chris Drury's connection to Boston University and the Rangers' need for a center -- but if he is still on the board, there is a strong chance his name will be called.