The 2024 NHL Entry Draft at The Sphere is approaching, with Round 1 set to take place on June 28. The San Jose Sharks are in possession of the first overall pick and are expected to take Macklin Celebrini. From there, the rest of the draft has no consensus rankings so anything can happen.
The New York Islanders are in position to make a first-round selection for the first time since 2019 when they took Simon Holmstrom. The team has a bare prospect pool and is in desperate need of adding another elite talent. Unfortunately, this is unlikely to be accomplished at pick 20, so they need to trade into the top 12 to draft a future star.
Why Cole Eiserman?
The Islanders should not trade up for the sake of trading up, rather they should trade up with the goal of preparing for the future. While the team is in win-now mode, adding elite talent to the prospect pool appears to be the best way to prepare for next season and beyond. Out of 2024 Draft prospects, nobody is a better fit than winger, Cole Eiserman.
Eiserman is 6-foot, 196 pounds, and a Newburyport, Massachusetts native. He does not turn 18 years old until Aug. 29, and he is one of the youngest 2024 Draft prospects. He is left-handed, a positional need for the Islanders, and possesses arguably the best shot in the draft. He finished his US National Team Development Program (USNTDP) career with 127 goals, breaking the program’s all-time record. He is taking his talent to Boston University next season, a program that has helped develop countless NHL stars such as Jack Eichel, Clayton Keller, Brady Tkachuk, and Trevor Zegras.
Related: Cole Eiserman – 2024 NHL Draft Prospect Profile
If the Islanders were to trade for the 11th pick in the draft, currently owned by the Buffalo Sabres, why would Eiserman still be available? The short answer to that question is there are concerns about his overall abilities. While he possesses a great shot, many fans believe he is one-dimensional, lacking the skating and playmaking ability to translate his success to the NHL. While this is occasionally the case for top hockey prospects, such as former Islanders’ first-round pick Oliver Wahlstrom, this is unlikely to be the case for Eiserman.
Cole Caufield, the former USNTDP goal record holder with 126, was a consensus top prospect in the 2019 Draft but fell to the Montreal Canadiens at pick 15 because he lacked size and a well-rounded game. However, he immediately proved doubters wrong, scoring 49 goals and 88 points in 67 games with the University of Wisconsin the following two seasons. From there, he joined the Canadiens and has cemented himself as one of the NHL’s premier goal scorers.
While Eiserman and Caufield are different players, they share similarities that NHL teams should recognize. Sometimes the best option is the most obvious one. While the 2024 Draft is filled with elite talent, the Islanders must trade up to ensure Eiserman’s landing in New York. He is currently projected to go around the 11th pick, so there is a solid chance the Islanders could draft him if they moved up with Buffalo. However, the teams would likely wait to make the trade until there was confirmation that Eiserman would be available at the time.
What Would a Trade Look Like?
If the Islanders were to move up with Buffalo, they would need to offer something pretty enticing. The deal will include the 20th pick, sending the Sabres back just nine spots in the first round. From there, the Islanders will solidify Buffalo’s depth by sending center, Jean-Gabriel Pageau.
Pageau is one of the league’s best defensive centers and faceoff specialists. He finished last season with a 55.4% faceoff win rate and six short-handed points. He was also consistently relied on late in games and was the team’s most consistent defensive forward. While his offense struggled, scoring just 11 goals and 33 points, he is poised to bounce back next season. His linemates were a revolving door all season, playing in nine different line combinations for the majority of his season.
In addition to Pageau and the pick, the Islanders can offer one of their two 2024 second-round picks, sitting at 54 and 61 overall. As well, they can offer Wahlstrom to add a high-upside, physical presence to Buffalo’s bottom six. In the end, a deal would only be possible if Buffalo believed they could get the player of their choosing at 20. And with the uncertainty this draft class holds, it is very likely for that to be the case.
With the Islanders set to make their first first-round selection in five years, it’s crucial they make the most of this opportunity. The draft is rich in talent, and the team needs to secure a high-upside player with a well-planned development path. No one fits this criterion better than Eiserman.
