STOCKHOLM -- A disappointing season doesn't dampen the light Bo Horvat sees with the New York Islanders.
Horvat, whose Islanders finished 23rd in the NHL and failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for just the second time in the past seven seasons, sees plenty of reason for optimism -- especially after winning the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery.
"We've got a bright future," Horvat said before leaving Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Championship because of a lower-body injury. "Obviously having the No. 1 pick is huge, too, but we also have good pieces in our lineup right now. We have some key pieces, some young players and stuff that are going to take the next step, too. I'm excited about our squad and already can't wait for next year."
The Islanders, who at 3.5 percent had the 10th-best chance of winning the lottery, would pick No. 1 for the fifth time in franchise history, and the first since selecting center John Tavares in the 2009 NHL Draft.
New York could use that pick to select defenseman Matthew Schaefer (6-foot-2, 183 pounds) of Erie of the Ontario Hockey League. He is No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters.
Michael Misa (6-1, 184), a center with Saginaw of the OHL, could be another option for the Islanders. Misa, No. 2 on Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters, won the Eddie Powers Trophy as the top scorer in the OHL after finishing the regular season with 134 points (62 goals, 72 assists) in 65 games.
Either would be a strong addition to a group defenseman Noah Dobson already believes in.
"I think we have some good core pieces, great goaltending, some big guys up front and a good D-core, honestly," Dobson said. "We've got a first overall pick coming, too. Hopefully we can have a big offseason and build to next season."
The draft pick is just one of several big decisions to come for New York.
The Islanders, who have ample cap space, need a new general manager after not renewing the contract of Lou Lamoriello, who served as president/GM of the Islanders for seven seasons.
They have several budding prospects, including Cole Eiserman and Calum Ritchie, too.
Eiserman, the No. 20 pick in the 2024 draft, had 36 points (25 goals, 11 assists) as a freshman at Boston University and seven points (three goals, four assists) for the United States at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Ritchie, who was selected by the Colorado Avalanche with the No. 27 pick in 2023 and acquired by New York in a trade involving Brock Nelson on March 6, had 70 points (15 goals, 55 assists) in 47 games with Oshawa in the Ontario Hockey League after starting the season in the NHL with Colorado.
"I think our prospect pool has kind of been depleted for a little bit," Dobson said. "We were going to conference finals, so you're trading away picks at the deadline and adding rentals. We've gathered a couple of good prospects... Eiserman, Ritchie we got in a trade this year, and we have that first overall pick coming.
"I think it's all exciting. I think the guys are motivated going into the offseason, and with a new GM coming in we should have new energy and guys should be excited."
It's a renewed energy after the Islanders ended sixth in the Metropolitan Division and nine points back of the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.
Their excitement is bred out of optimism following a dissatisfying season.
"We do have the right guys in there to do it," Horvat said. "It's just a matter of putting it all together. Staying healthy is a big thing, obviously, and having our best players in the lineup every single night. It's an exciting time and I can't wait to get back."
