New York, New York — The New York Islanders have secured the top pick in the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft following a thrilling victory in the NHL Draft Lottery, held Monday. With a mere 3.5 percent chance of winning, the Islanders defied the odds, marking their opportunity to select first overall for the first time since 2009 when they chose center John Tavares.

This marks the fifth time the franchise has held the top draft position, having previously selected notable players such as goalie Rick DiPietro in 2000 and defenseman Denis Potvin in 1973. Ken Morrow, the Islanders’ director of pro scouting, expressed his elation, saying, “This is incredible. The hockey gods have smiled on us. I’m thrilled for Islander fans and our entire organization.”

The second pick belongs to the San Jose Sharks, who entered the lottery with the best odds at 18.5 percent. The Chicago Blackhawks will select third, with the Utah Hockey Club moving up to the fourth spot in a surprise ascent during the lottery.

Scheduled for June 27, 2025, the draft will take place at L.A. Live’s Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The first-round selection will kick off at 7 p.m. ET, followed by rounds two through seven the next day.

The lottery, broadcast live from NHL Network’s studios, determined the selection order for the first 16 picks for teams that missed the playoffs. While only the top two positions were decided by the lottery, the remaining selections were ordered based on each team’s regular-season performance.

For the Islanders, who finished 23rd overall with a record of 35-35-12, the number one pick could pave the way for them to select top prospect Matthew Schaefer, a 6-foot-2 defenseman with the Ontario Hockey League’s Erie Otters. Schaefer, who is ranked first among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, recently recovered from a broken clavicle sustained during the IIHF World Junior Championship.

Schaefer’s impressive stats include 22 points with a plus-21 rating across just 17 games, despite missing significant time early in the season due to illness. Should the Islanders choose Schaefer, he would become the first player from Erie to go first overall since Connor McDavid was selected by the Edmonton Oilers in 2015.

Senior Western scout John Williams remarked on Schaefer’s exceptional talent, comparing him favorably to Cale Makar at the same age, emphasizing his unique contributions to Canada’s national junior team.

However, Schaefer is not the only option for New York. The Islanders could also consider Michael Misa, a center with Saginaw, who made headlines as the first player in franchise history to win the Eddie Powers Trophy for top scorer in the OHL, finishing the season with 134 points. James Hagens from Boston College, another strong candidate, ranked third among North American skaters, while Brantford’s Jake O’Brien and Czech defenseman Radim Mrtka are also gaining traction on draft boards.

For teams seeking a powerful forward, Brampton captain Porter Martone stands out as a top prospect, having finished with 98 points in the OHL this season. Additionally, the draft could feature standout international players like Anton Frondell and Victor Eklund from Djurgarden in Sweden, both of whom are anticipated to be early selections.

With anticipation building around who the Islanders will choose, the franchise looks to the future with hope and excitement as they prepare to make a pivotal selection that could reshape their roster.