Monday’s light practice offered few clues toward that end. It is rare, though, for a No. 1 pick not to start the season in the NHL, and going into the start of free agency Tuesday, the Islanders blue line looked ripe for Schaefer to grab a spot.

Welcome to my pick-by-pick breakdown of the 2025 NHL Draft’s first round. Over the next two days, I’ll review and rank the draft classes of all 32 NHL teams. Today’s Round 1 analysis (which also includes a list of the top prospects available to start Round 2 tomorrow),

Islanders GM and EVP Mathieu Darche is “beyond excited” winger Victor Eklund and defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson were available