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Noah Dobson, New York Islanders (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)

Islanders Can Trade for a Second Top 10 Pick in 2025 NHL Draft, But Should They?

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Mike Fink | Last updated Jun 18, 2025 8:25 AM ET

There is a wish, at least among a handful of fans, for the New York Islanders to draft James Hagens, a Long Island native who has star potential. It probably won’t happen, especially with the top pick in the draft, as general manager (GM) Mathieu Darche will likely take the best player on the board.

There is, however, another wish attached to this draft. It’s where the Islanders take Matthew Schaefer with the top pick and then trade up into the top 10 to select Hagens as well. This would be the best for a rebuild and not only give the Islanders an elite defense talent at one, but a hometown favorite and possible face of the franchise forward as well.

The question is how this can realistically happen. Which team would willingly move their pick, and what would it take to convince a team in the top 10 or even the top five to make a trade? The Islanders pulling this off would require offloading some talent in the return, and it’s why Darche will likely avoid making a trade altogether.

Trade Idea 1: Noah Dobson, the 2025 Second-Round Pick & Danny Nelson for the Predators’ Pick (5th)

The Nashville Predators are in a similar spot to the Islanders. They had a rough 2024-25 season and have the option to retool or even rebuild with a top-five pick leading the way. At the same time, they have a roster built to win now or at least a veteran-heavy group that will try to push for the playoffs next season. It’s why the Predators might be one of the teams interested in flipping their pick for NHL-ready players.

Noah Dobson makes sense for the Predators as well. Roman Josi is the anchor of the unit on the left side, but the team lacks another two-way presence, and Dobson would give them a great top pair to work with. Since the Predators have a top-five pick, the Islanders would have to throw in some extra assets, including a second-round selection and a prospect like Danny Nelson or someone at his level.

This trade, if Darche wants to pull the trigger, would allow the Islanders to draft Hagens. Yes, they’d give up a lot in the process, but if they want to add a young talent in this draft, this is the move they make. This is a deal the Predators would likely say yes to, so the only question is if the Islanders would be on board as well, and willing to move multiple pieces for a prospect who is no guarantee.

Trade Idea 2: Noah Dobson, Isaiah George, & the 2nd Round Pick for the Flyers’ Pick (6th)

The Philadelphia Flyers are more likely to reject this trade than the Islanders. The Flyers will likely use the sixth selection to draft their next top-line center and, ironically, might eye Hagens to accomplish that. This is a team that’s struggled down the middle in recent seasons, and they can find an answer for the glaring need at center while also adding a linemate for Matvei Michkov in the long run.

If the Flyers wanted to make this trade, they would suddenly fix their defense, another issue for them (there are a lot of issues with this team, which explains why they haven’t made the playoffs since the 2019-20 season). They lack reliable starters outside of a few skaters, and Dobson is an immediate fix, while Isaiah George is a long-term answer.

The Flyers have multiple forward prospects in their system who could be on the NHL roster by the start of next season, notably Alex Bump, Jett Luchanko, and Nikita Grebenkin. The same can’t be said about the defense, and it makes a trade to land both Dobson and George a good move for the front office.

At the same time, the Flyers would prefer to find their center for the future, someone who is more likely to become a star at the NHL level than the prospects mentioned above. This is also a team betting on Jamie Drysdale, who still has the skills to be a reliable two-way defenseman. If he’s a regular, the defense isn’t a glaring need. So, the Flyers are a team that could make a trade with the Islanders, but probably won’t, considering their mindset heading into the draft.

Trade Idea 3: Noah Dobson for the Ducks’ Pick (10th)

The Anaheim Ducks sent the message that they aren’t interested in rebuilding anymore. From the Jacob Trouba trade in the middle of the 2024-25 season to the Joel Quenneville hiring this offseason, to the Chris Kreider addition in recent weeks, GM Pat Verbeek wants this team to make the playoffs (if they don’t, his hot seat only gets hotter). It’s why flipping the 10th pick for an NHL-ready player is an ideal move for them.

The Islanders are the team that won’t want to make this trade. Dobson might be worth the 10th pick in a one-for-one swap. However, the talent in this draft falls off significantly after the seventh or eighth pick. Hagens is sliding on some draft boards, but it’s unlikely he’ll be available by the 10th selection.

It’s why this is the type of deal that would happen during the draft and not before. If Darche notices Hagens sliding and multiple teams are passing on him, he can make the call with Verbeek to move up and make another selection. It’s not just Hagens, but if there’s an elite prospect that falls on draft day, Darche can take advantage of the opportunity the same way the Minnesota Wild did last year with the Zeev Buium selection.

Why a Trade Likely Won’t Happen

The first thing to consider with any trade is Darche’s urge to keep the Islanders competitive. Trading Dobson sends the message that they aren’t looking to compete next season and instead are looking to rebuild. Sure, he’s the expendable defenseman if the Islanders take Schaefer, but he’s one of the players who will be key in leading the team back to the playoffs.

The other issue is that the teams in the top five see their picks as worth their weight in gold. They are looking to add elite talent and see whoever they select as the next in line (even though the odds are they’ll end up taking a good but not great player). It’s why Darche will have to move more than expected to make a deal work, and it’s not something the first-time GM is interested in doing.

Hagens in an Islanders jersey would be cool and something many fans hope happens someday. It’s unlikely to happen on draft day. It’s also not a move that makes the Islanders better per se, and usually, these types of trades backfire. Prospects always look better before the draft, but few work out and become the star players many expect them to become. It’s why Darche will probably take the best player with the top pick and not overthink things after that.