NHL Prospect Rankings for 2023–2024: New York Islanders.

One could make a compelling case that the NHL’s worst prospect pool belongs to the New York Islanders. I wouldn’t be shocked if none of the players on this top 10 list ended up playing in the NHL on a regular basis.

That is the result of four years without a first-round pick—four of which have occurred since 2016. Of those four, Oliver Wahlstrom (2018) never lived up to expectations, but Noah Dobson (2018) proved to be a significant player. After a difficult year between New York and Philadelphia, Kieffer Bellows (2016) is still unsigned, and Simon Holmstrom (2019) is only now beginning to establish himself with the major league team. Thank goodness Mat Barzal (2015) was a hit.

The Islanders will eventually think about doing a complete rebuild. Are they prepared to own up to it? It doesn’t appear to be after trading the team’s prospect, Aatu Raty, to acquire and sign Bo Horvat to a long-term contract. However, it is nearly impossible to truly understand what 80-year-old Lou Lamoriello is thinking.