Islanders Meet 21 Prospects at 2026 Draft Combine, With Centers and Defensemen Headlining the Group

The New York Islanders’ front office spent part of the 2026 NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo speaking with prospects across multiple positions, according to a list of players who confirmed their meetings with the club. The players are grouped by role in a report from Yahoo Sports, and together they form a snapshot of who the Islanders were prioritizing as they prepare for the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft on June 26-27 at KeyBank Center.

This year’s combine mattered because it is one of the last major chances for clubs to pair on-ice and physical evaluation with face-to-face interviews and medical or fitness information before draft week. noted that teams use the event to conduct interviews and to gather physical and medical assessments of top prospects eligible for the draft.

In the Yahoo Sports list, the Islanders’ meetings included five centers: Viggo Björck, Beckett Hamilton, Ilya Morozov, Tynan Lawrence, and Oliver Suvanto. For a roster that will eventually lean on drafted players to supplement its core, centers are often the most scrutinized position because they typically have the widest tactical responsibilities and the longest runway from junior or collegiate hockey into top-line roles.

The Islanders also went heavy at left wing and right-side scoring depth. The reported left-wing group included Ethan Belchetz, Wyatt Cullen, Ryan Roobroeck, Oscar Hemming, Adam Novotny, and JP Hurlbert. On the right wing, Simas Ignatavicius was the only prospect listed, while the Islanders also met multiple defensemen: five right-handed defenders (Keaton Verhoeff, Ryan Lin, Thomas Bleyl, Daxon Rudolph, Juho Piiparinen) and three left-handed defenders (Malte Gustafsson, William Hakansson, Ben MacBeath).

On the defensive side, the mix of handedness and prospects suggests New York was collecting options for puck skills, skating angles, and transition play across more than one profile, rather than focusing only on one archetype. It is also consistent with how combines function: teams compare how players handle pressure and interview questions, while cross-checking what they saw in physical testing.

Finally, the list included one goaltender meeting: Tobias Trejbal. While one name is not enough to conclude an organizational priority, goaltending interviews at the combine tend to carry added weight because teams want to understand process and projection, not just reflexes. Combine meetings can also influence late-draft decisions if multiple prospects rate similarly on the board.

Taken as a whole, the Islanders’ reported group totals 21 prospects, spanning centers, wingers, both defensive handedness groups, and a goalie. It is a useful indicator of where New York’s attention was during combine week, but it does not guarantee draft choices, since meetings can reflect curiosity, contingency planning, and overlap with other teams’ boards. The next test will be how the Islanders translate these conversations into selections during the two-day draft in Buffalo.

Key details like date, location, and the combine’s role were drawn from NHL coverage, while the specific Islanders prospect meeting list is attributed to Yahoo Sports’ reporting.