Russell’s Roundup: Dobson Deal & Three First Rounders; Round One Recap

Good morning, Islanders fans. That was one heck of a day yesterday. As the day rolled on, news only piled on. The emotions at the Islanders’ Draft Party swung like a pendulum.

With hindsight, it’s clear everything worked out more than okay for the Islanders. Around the NHL, despite national reporters claiming this draft would be insane, not one trade involving an NHL player took place during the draft.

Despite the Islanders entering round one with hopes of landing James Hagens, there isn’t a single fan complaining about how things truly shook out. As Islanders’ GM Mathieu Darche said, the two players they got at 16 and 17 should not have even still been on the board.

Starting today at noon, rounds two through seven will take place in Los Angeles. The Islanders hold all six of their picks today. In his media availability last night, Darche said he’s not opposed to flipping picks for current roster help.

The latest reporting indicates that both Jason Robertson and potentially Jordan Kyrou could be had for futures. The Islanders hold two 2026 first-round picks. If a deal makes sense, Darche will do it.

New York Islanders:

The day began with bad news. After Noah Dobson made it clear through his actions that Long Island was not his priority, word leaked that he would only sign with Eastern Conference teams. That completely took away all the Islanders’ leverage, as I can confirm they had a deal with the St. Louis Blues for Jordan Kyrou that collapsed due to Dobson’s unwillingness to sign in St. Louis. With that, it left the Islanders no choice but to deal him to the Montreal Canadiens for two first-round picks (16th and 17th overall last night) and Emil Heineman.

Here’s the analysis of the deal, breaking down a timeline for Dobson’s exodus and how he forced the Islanders’ hand.

Then, the clock struck seven, and the Islanders had one job: add Matthew Schaefer to the fold. Without hesitation, the Islanders drafted the superstar defenseman. You’re robotic if you didn’t have emotions when the Islanders modified his jersey by adding a breast cancer awareness patch and his mother’s initials to the jersey. Here’s what the pick means.

As the first round rolled on, the Islanders tried hard to trade up and land James Hagens. Darche confirmed this in post-round one media availability. That allowed the Boston Bruins to land the Long Island native.

Finally, after a way-too-long first round, thanks to the decentralized format, the Islanders found themselves on the clock. With picks 16 and 17, a pair of players had slipped right down to them. Both have immense potential and became immediate steals that earned the Islanders A-grades across the board: Victor Eklund and Kashawn Aitcheson.

NHL Trades, Draft, & National Hockey Now:

Boston Hockey Now: Let’s start up in Boston. With their highest draft choice since 2011, the Boston Bruins landed Hagens, a player who slid down the board. Andrew Fantucchio writes why he’s a perfect fit in Boston.

Montreal Hockey Now: By the end of yesterday, the consensus from Islanders’ fans was happiness to move on from the Noah Dobson drama. In Montreal, they view the deal as their dream trade. Here’s Marc Dumont’s breakdown.

Philly Hockey Now: The Flyers had a busy round one. They entered the night with three first-round picks, but exited with just two. They traded up with the Pittsburgh Penguins for pick #12. With the sixth overall pick, they landed Porter Martone. Then, with that 12th overall pick, they took Jack Nesbitt. Will James grades it all. 

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The Penguins themselves kept busy. They made not one, but two trades on draft night, none of which involved any plans. Kyle Dubas broke down his night and why he handled things the way he did.

Colorado Hockey Now: After the Blue Jackets struck out on Noah Dobson, they quickly turned to the Colorado Avalanche. Columbus acquired Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood. Aarif Deen breaks it down from Colorado’s viewpoint.

San Jose Hockey Now: The Sharks, despite incessant rumors to the contrary, stuck to their guns and selected Michael Misa with the second overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. Four hours later, the Sharks found themselves on the clock at pick #30 and selected goaltender Josh Ravensbergen.