The Islanders have previously picked No. 1 four times, with John Tavares the most recent in 2009. The last time they took a defenseman atop the draft was 1973, and Denis Potvin helped them win the Stanley Cup four times in a row from 1980-83 on the way to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

In early May, the New York Islanders won the NHL’s Draft Lottery after entering with a 3.5% chance of the ping pong balls falling their way. After hiring new General Manager Mathieu Darche later that month, there has been plenty of speculation about what the Islanders will do.