Inside Ken Morrow’s Reaction to the Islanders Winning the Draft Lottery

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.

“I just had a feeling today,” Morrow said. “I was going through the day, preparing for tonight. I don’t know how to explain it, but I felt like I wasn’t getting prepared for nothing to happen. And wow. I’m just speechless right now.”

The Islanders’ odds were slim - a 3.5% chance of picking first to be exact, equal to 10^th-best – so the buildup to jumping to 100% was nothing short of exciting. When the first three ping pong balls came up 7, 11 and 12, the Islanders’ odds shot up to a 18.2% chance of winning, tied with a number of teams for the best odds, with one number to go.

One of the numbers reminded Morrow of a good friend - and a former Isles first-round pick – in Denis Potvin.

“It got down to where we were still in it for that last drawing, which I was thrilled with that,” Morrow said. “And I saw 5 and 13. And in my head, I was thinking 5 for Denis Potvin. But 13, lucky number 13 right? Those were my thoughts. 5 and 13.”

When the lucky number 13 appeared, it became official that the Islanders would hold the first pick for the fifth time in franchise history. The Islanders’ previous four first-overall picks include Billy Harris (1972), Potvin (1973), Rick DiPietro (2000) and John Tavares (2009).

“What a moment,” Morrow said. “What a moment. I’m over the moon with what just happened for our organization and our fanbase.”

Morrow, who is a four-time Stanley Cup Champion and won gold with Team USA in 1980, played 10 seasons with the Islanders. He currently serves as the Islanders’ Director of Pro Scouting.

Beyond making the selection, a lot goes into a player’s development and path to the pros, and Morrow expressed his excitement for his colleagues.

“This is what our amateur scouting staff lives for, this moment,” Morrow said. “They put in the work, and I know how hard they work all year long, to have an opportunity like this, I know they’re well prepared and excited.”

The first overall pick will be added to the Isles prospect pipeline, which includes highly touted prospects in Calum Ritchie, Isaiah George, Cole Eiserman, Danny Nelson among others in the system. Matthew Schaefer, a defenseman for the OHL Erie Otters, is the top-ranked North American skater heading into the draft, which will take place in LA on June 27 and 28.

“This gives a huge boost,” Morrow said. “It certainly jolts our whole system. It’s a young man’s game now. These young players, so many of them are ready to make the next step when they get the chance.”

At the heart of Morrow’s excitement is the fanbase.

“The organization itself, we couldn’t have better ownership with the team,” Morrow said. “I’ve gotten to know so many Islanders fans in my playing days over the last 45 years. I couldn’t be happier. That’s who I was thinking about, the fans.”