The latest 2026 NHL mock draft published in The Athletic on Monday revealed an interesting choice for the New York Islanders at No. 13.
With this draft considered as one of the deepest in years, the high-end talent figures to extend beyond the top five or even the top 10. The thought is that teams picking within the top 15 could find a future star within the top 15.
Such could be the Islanders’ case with Boston University forward Tynan Lawrence.
Lawrence is the third center projected in the first round. Caleb Malhotra, out of the OHL, is believed to be the best center and could go in the top three. Meanwhile, Swedish prospect Viggo Bjorck could also become a top-10 pick.
That leaves Lawrance at the third-best center in a draft packed with talented wingers. The Athletic describes Lawrence as a top-three prospect, but a less-than-impressive season dropped his stock.
“Lawrence was very well thought of by evaluators six months ago, with many teams having him as a top-three prospect, but he’s plummeted in the second half of the season after average performances in college and at the U18 worlds. He’s a great skater and competitor down the middle, but the level of offense in his game is a minor concern. The Islanders are happy to get him at 13, though, given their thin center depth.”
We’ve seen high-end prospects drop in their draft year, only to rebound and come back strong in subsequent seasons. This could be Lawrence’s case. The 17-year-old scored two goals and seven points in 18 games at Boston University. Considering he’s just 17 and still growing into the NCAA game, landing such a player at #13 would be a steal for the Islanders.
It’s clear the organization could use more depth down the middle. While Mathew Barzal, JG Pageau, and Bo Horvat are just fine for the time being, there is little in the way of youth coming up the pipeline beyond Calum Ritchie.
That’s why taking Lawrence makes a ton of sense. Yes, the Islanders have several talented forward prospects coming up through the system. But the bulk are wingers. Victor Eklund, Cole Eiserman, and Daniil Prokhorov are all talented wingers. So, bringing in someone like Lawrence, even if the ETA on him seems far off into the distance, is what the Isles have to focus on in this draft.
The club has to get this pick right. After #13, the Islanders don’t pick again until 109, 141, 173, and 205. The chances of finding a future top-six center in one of these picks aren’t overly encouraging.
Ultimately, there’s pressure on the Islanders to get this pick right at #13 and land a potential impact player, even if the club might find gold later in the 2026 NHL Draft.
.
