By Warren Kozireski — The Islanders decided to make their splash during NHL Draft weekend in the trade market rather than with draft selections after trading their first round pick to Las Vegas for expansion draft considerations.
But they set themselves up for future drafts on day two by trading defenseman Travis Harmonic to Calgary for a first round selection in 2018, a second rounder in 2019 and a condition second rounder.
That doesn’t mean they didn’t add some potential future assets among their five draft selections, including blueliners with their first three picks.
Defenseman Robin Salo was taken in the second round (46th overall). The 6’1”, 189 lb. Finn had 16 points in 54 games last season with Sport Vaasa in SM-Iiiga.
“I started pretty solid and bettered my game all the way,” Salo said to the media after being selected. “I think at the end of the season I was really good. My hockey sense and I position myself pretty good and defending with the stick,” he said about his strengths. “I want to be a two-way defenseman and play both ends.”
“I went a little higher maybe than I thought, but I had no clue where I was going to go and it was a very nice surprise for me that I went this high.”
Benjamin Mirageas from Chicago of the USHL was their third round pick. The 6’1”, 171 lb. Massachusetts native and Providence College commit for 2017-18 split this past season with Bloomington and Chicago combining for 19 points in 59 games.
“Skating would probably be my biggest asset,” Mirageas said. “I like to create transition very easily and move the puck up to the forwards and create odd-man rushes.
“I was a forward for a couple of years growing up, so it’s always been in my nature to create offense but within the past year I’ve learned to round out my game playing more defensive style.”
In the fifth round, their third defenseman was 21-year old Sebastian Aho (not to be confused with the left wing playing with Carolina) from Skelleftea AIK in Sweden. Listed at 5’10” and 176 lb. he had a breakout campaign offensively with ten goals and 20 assists in 50 games.
Left wing Arnaud Durandeau from Mooseheads of the QMJHL was their sixth round choice. At 5’11”, 183 lb. he scored 15 goals with 26 assists and 70 penalty minutes in 64 games last season.
The Islanders stayed on the wing with the final selection with small, speedy forward and Boston University commit Logan Cockerill from the U.S. National Development Program. 5’8” and 165 lb. he combined for 18 goals and 37 points in 68 games playing largely on the fourth line.
(NHL.com photo)
