2015 NHL Draft Order Until the New York Islanders (or Someone) Makes a Trade

With the Stanley Cup awarded, thoughts turn to the NHL draft. But in an odd turnabout, which in one way reflects their new status as contenders and in another way reflects their impatience (finally) and imprudence to get there, the New York Islanders aren't in the running for any of the top prospects.

Thanks to their improvement and playoff appearance, the Islanders were not in the lottery this year and instead the order has them picking 21st in each round. (The order gets skewed by a compensatory pick for the Hawks at #54, awarded out of thin air because Kevin Hayes didn't sign with them.) But thanks mostly to the Thomas Vanek trade, the Isles aren't in position to make a selection until the 72nd choice.

That could all change of course. I'd even bet on it changing as Garth Snow looks to shuffle, get back into the NHL's prospect roulette, and make other moves as insurance for any departing forwards. Chances are the Islanders see a few prospects in this draft whom they feel are worth trading an asset. But if they do that, it probably won't happen until during the draft when they have a better sense that one of their targets is still on the table.

Generally if a team is going to give up their first or second round pick, they are going to want an active NHL player, an on-the-cusp prospect, or picks later in/close to those same rounds. The Isles don't have the latter, but arguably have options from the other categories. With some extra forwards (Michael Grabner?) and excess blueline prospects (Griffin Reinhart?), the Islanders have some pieces that could be in play.

*Note: Technically Grabner isn't an "extra" forward, but he has a few strikes that put him in frequent trade speculation: An injury-riddled season, inconsistent faith from the staff, new additions in 2014-15 who bumped him down the depth chart, and a high salary but low cap hit this year (the Isles tend to favor the inverse), as well as some alluring skills that make him actually desirable in a trade.

Snow himself alluded to packaging the two thirds for a second if the right opportunity came up.

Just remember, as you fantasize about a trade for an unknown future in this draft, each of the possible trade chips has its own baggage. (e.g. Grabner had an injury-riddled season; Reinhart is a former top pick who may have been passed by others on the depth chart.)

Islanders Picks: Two 3rds, a 4th, a 6th, a 7th

At present, the Islanders have no picks until the third round, when they have two -- Florida's at 72 thanks to a swap of mid-round picks at last year's draft, and their own at 82.

In the fourth round, they have their own at 112.

In the fifth round they have none, having traded a conditional fourth to San Jose for Dan Boyle (it became a fifth when he didn't sign, though in retrospect he did the Isles a favor by going to the other New York).

In the sixth round, they hold their own pick at 172.

In the seventh round, they have one of two selections, having dealt the later one to San Jose in the Tyler Kennedy trade (which was a 2015 seventh unless the Isles won the Cup, which would've made it a 2016 third. Aren't draft pick trades fun?).

Full Draft Order

Here's the full order. The Islanders' picks (at present) are in bold, picks that involved them at one time are in italics with some explanation. This is based on news reports and nhl.com, but is not final. A good resource for keeping up with changes (at least until NHL.com updates) is ProSportsTransactions.

1. Edmonton
2. Buffalo
3. Arizona
4. Toronto
5. Carolina
6. New Jersey
7. Philadelphia
8. Columbus
9. San Jose
10. Colorado
11. Florida
12. Dallas
13. Los Angeles
14. Boston
15. Calgary
16. Pittsburgh → Edmonton
17. Winnipeg
18. Ottawa
19. Detroit
20. Minnesota
21. NY Islanders → Buffalo [Thomas Vanek trade]
    
22. Washington
23. Vancouver
24. Nashville → Toronto
25. St. Louis → Buffalo → Winnipeg
26. Montreal
27. Anaheim
28. NY Rangers → Tampa Bay
29. Tampa Bay → Philadelphia
30. Chicago → Arizona
31. Buffalo
32. Arizona
33. Edmonton
34. Toronto → Los Angeles → Columbus
35. Carolina
36. New Jersey
37. Philadelphia → NY Islanders → Boston [Andrew MacDonald, Johnny Boychuk trades]
    
38. Columbus
39. San Jose
40. Colorado
41. Florida → New Jersey
42. Dallas → Ottawa
43. Los Angeles → Buffalo → Los Angeles
44. Boston → Tampa Bay
45. Calgary
46. Pittsburgh
47. Winnipeg
48. Ottawa
49. Detroit → Dallas
50. Minnesota
51. NY Islanders → Buffalo [Thomas Vanek trade]
    
52. Washington → Calgary
53. Vancouver → Calgary
54. Chicago (compensatory pick for Kevin Hayes not signing)
55. Nashville
56. St. Louis
57. Montreal → Edmonton
58. Anaheim → Columbus
59. NY Rangers → Arizona
60. Tampa Bay → NY Rangers
61. Chicago → Philadelphia
62. Buffalo → Washington
63. Arizona
64. Edmonton → Anaheim → Tampa Bay
65. Toronto
66. Carolina
67. New Jersey
68. Philadelphia → Columbus
69. Columbus
70. San Jose → Philadelphia
71. Colorado
72. Florida → NY Islanders [2014 draft swap]
    
73. Dallas → Detroit
74. Los Angeles
75. Boston
76. Calgary
77. Pittsburgh → Florida
78. Winnipeg
79. Ottawa → Edmonton
80. Detroit → Columbus → Anaheim
81. Minnesota → Arizona
82. NY Islanders
83. Washington → Calgary
84. Vancouver → Anaheim
85. Nashville
86. St. Louis → Edmonton
87. Montreal
88. Anaheim → Florida
89. NY Rangers
90. Tampa Bay → Philadelphia
91. Chicago
92. Buffalo
93. Arizona → Washington → Carolina
94. Edmonton → St. Louis
95. Toronto
96. Carolina
97. New Jersey
98. Philadelphia
99. Columbus → Philadelphia
100. San Jose → Nashville
101. Colorado
102. Florida
103. Dallas
104. Los Angeles
105. Boston
106. Calgary → San Jose
107. Pittsburgh → Toronto
108. Winnipeg
109. Ottawa
110. Detroit
111. Minnesota
112. NY Islanders
113. Washington
114. Vancouver
115. Nashville
116. St. Louis
117. Montreal → Edmonton
118. Anaheim → Tampa Bay
119. NY Rangers
120. Tampa Bay
121. Chicago
122. Buffalo
123. Arizona
124. Edmonton
125. Toronto
126. Carolina
127. New Jersey → St. Louis
128. Philadelphia
129. Columbus
130. San Jose
131. Colorado → Montreal
132. Florida
133. Dallas
134. Los Angeles
135. Boston
136. Calgary
137. Pittsburgh
138. Winnipeg → Carolina
139. Ottawa
140. Detroit
141. Minnesota
142. NY Islanders → San Jose [Dan Boyle trade; 4th became 5th when he didn't sign]
     
143. Washington
144. Vancouver
145. Nashville
146. St. Louis
147. Montreal → Florida
148. Anaheim
149. NY Rangers → Vancouver
150. Tampa Bay
151. Tampa Bay
152. Buffalo
153. Arizona → Tampa Bay
154. Edmonton
155. Toronto
156. Carolina
157. New Jersey
158. Philadelphia
159. Columbus
160. San Jose
161. Colorado
162. Florida
163. Dallas
164. Los Angeles → Chicago
165. Boston
166. Calgary
167. Pittsburgh
168. Winnipeg → Ottawa → Carolina
169. Ottawa
170. Detroit
171. Minnesota
172. NY Islanders
173. Washington
174. Vancouver
175. Nashville
176. St. Louis
177. Montreal
178. Anaheim
179. NY Rangers
180. Tampa Bay
181. Chicago
182. Buffalo
183. Arizona
184. Edmonton
185. Toronto
186. Carolina
187. New Jersey → Los Angeles
188. Philadelphia
189. Columbus
190. San Jose
191. Colorado
192. Florida
193. Dallas
194. Los Angeles
195. Boston
196. Calgary
197. Pittsburgh
198. Winnipeg
199. Ottawa
200. Detroit
201. Minnesota
202. NY Islanders
     
203. Washington → Winnipeg
204. Vancouver → Tampa Bay → Minnesota
205. Nashville
206. St. Louis → New Jersey → Florida
207. Montreal
208. Anaheim → Tampa Bay
209. NY Rangers → Tampa Bay
210. Tampa Bay → NY Islanders → San Jose [Tyler Kennedy trade]
211. Chicago