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Ottawa Citizen

Islanders ready for top-10 pick in QMJHL Entry Draft

For only the second time in seven years, the Charlottetown Islanders hold a top-10 pick in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) Entry Draft. Article content The Islanders are scheduled to pick seventh overall in Quebec City on June 6. The 12-round draft takes place over two days, with Rounds 2 through 12 taking place on June 7. Article content Article content 'It's exciting with us finally having a first-round pick and not only that, but seventh overall,' said Islanders general manager and head coach Jim Hulton. 'The last time we picked this high was (defenceman Lukas) Cormier (fourth overall in 2018), so we are hoping to have similar success.' Article content Article content Cormier, a third-round pick of the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, recorded 242 points in 237 regular-season and playoff games with the Islanders over four seasons. Article content Article content The Islanders' only other first-round pick since 2018 was in 2023, when they selected defenceman Owen Conrad with the 20th overall pick acquired in a trade from Quebec. The reason for the Islanders' lack of first-round picks in recent years is due to trades made to set the team up for a run to the QMJHL final in 2022. Article content 'We are not going to restrict ourselves to certain positions,' said Hulton. 'I don't think it's any secret we would like to add some offence but I'm not sure it's fair to the young man that we select seventh to be the cure for all our offensive woes. Article content Article content 'We just need a good hockey player… We feel we can pick a guy who can step in and play right away, so that part's really exciting.' Article content Islanders head scout and director of player personnel Trevor Birt described this year's draft class as deep. Article content 'There's going to be, I would say, some future NHLers in the draft,' said Birt. 'There is some size to the draft, also.' Article content Article content Barring any trades, the Islanders will go into the draft with 12 picks, including two in the second round – 22nd overall from the 2022-23 Franky Lapenna trade to Gatineau and 38th overall as part of the Alexis Michaud trade to Baie-Comeau on Dec. 20, 2024.