The Islanders, who at 3.5 percent had the 10th-best chance of winning the lottery, would pick No. 1 for the fifth time and the first since selecting center John Tavares in the 2009 NHL Draft. They also took goalie Rick DiPietro first in 2000, defenseman Denis Potvin in 1973 and forward Billy Harris in 1972.

The New York Islanders won the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, jumping nine spots thanks to the lottery Monday, while Utah Hockey Club went from No. 14 to No. 4. With a draft order now known, a collection of our NHL reporters combined for a mock draft of the first 16 picks.

With eight teams left in the playoffs and four series to be played, we don't have quite as many bold takes to make or analysis to do a deep dive into. Fortunately, it means we can max out our thought process for making the kinds or predictions few would have the courage to make.

It’s time for the second round of the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs, and that means it’s time to chime in with our series predictions.