Grier recently said he received wild offers for the No. 1 pick the Sharks held last year after winning the 2024 lottery. Grier did not seriously consider any of them, instead taking a future franchise cornerstone in center Macklin Celebrini, who on Monday was named a finalist for the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie.

The NHL Draft will be June 27-28 in Los Angeles at L.A. Live’s Peacock Theater. It will mark the fifth time in team history the Islanders have the first overall pick. They took John Tavares in 2009, goalie Rick DiPietro in 2000, Hall of Fame defenseman Denis Potvin in 1973 and Billy Harris in 1972, the Islanders’ birth year.

Ken Morrow had a lucky feeling in the lead-up to the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery, as the New York Islanders Hall of Famer and Director of Pro Scouting attended as the team’s representative. Morrow’s intuition ended up being spot on, as the Islanders won the lottery to pick first overall.