The Islanders may have found a useful piece in the fifth round, and Vladimir Dravecky wasted no time making that case.
Selected by NY in the 2026 NHL Draft, the right-shot defenseman was one of the names the organization targeted as it tried to shore up the right side of its blue line. The Islanders opened the draft by taking LHD Malte Gustafsson in the first round, then added Lincoln Kuehne in the fourth and Dravecky in the fifth to address a clear need.
Dravecky’s path to camp was already a little bumpy. He missed development camp because of visa issues, and he also could not attend training camp. Still, when he got into his one preseason game against the NJ Devils, he made sure the Islanders noticed him.
That game was packed with young players and prospects on both sides, and Dravecky was pushed into a prominent role right away. He worked the point on the Islanders’ first power-play unit and showed off the puck-moving skill that has people in the organization intrigued.
His biggest moment came on the Islanders’ lone goal. With CalRitchie sliding to the point on the man advantage, Dravecky shifted to the wing and delivered a quick one-touch pass to Cole Eiserman, who buried the one-timer.
"We threw him right in, running the first power play & gave him a lot of ice time,” head coach Pete DeBoer said. “That's his first real pro hockey game.
He's probably the youngest kid on the ice, one of them for sure. I thought he did a great job.
He's had a great camp."
Dravecky was assigned yesterday to the Guelph Storm of the OHL with other Islanders prospects. He still has another season of junior eligibility, so he was always headed there for this year. Guelph will also be the place where he plays in the Memorial Cup later this season.
For now, the Islanders have seen enough to know Dravecky left a strong impression. And with another camp ahead before he turns pro, he’ll get another shot to do it all over again next year.
In Other News...
Islanders Lineup Vs Rangers Puts Young Roster Battle In Focus
The Islanders preseason trip to Madison Square Garden comes with more than the usual rivalry edge, because the lineup against the Rangers is giving a clearer look at where a young roster is trying to separate itself. New York is mixing established NHL pieces with prospects, and that makes this one of those early September games that can matter less for the score than for the pecking order it starts to reveal. Players such as Cole Eiserman and Kashawn Aitcheson are getting a chance to leave an impression while the coaching staff sorts through depth questions and long-term fit.
Semyon Varlamov is also expected to get his first preseason action of the year, sharing the night with Ilya Sorokin as the Islanders ease into game speed. Those goaltending minutes matter, of course, but the bigger storyline is how the rest of the lineup looks when the building blocks are all in the same frame. Against a Rangers group that will test them in a real rivalry setting, the Islanders are looking for answers from their younger players, and this one should help clarify which names are forcing their way into the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Kyle Palmieri Opens Up About His Brutal Road Back To Islanders
Kyle Palmieri is finally back in the mix with the Islanders after a long and punishing rehab journey that kept him away from team activities for nearly 10 months. Coming off an ACL tear, the veteran forward leaned heavily on pool work and other controlled exercises to stay on track, even when the weather turned and the recovery process felt just as much mental as physical. For a player who has built his game on persistence, the return to structured practices has brought a clear sense of relief.
Palmieris road back was anything but routine, with rehabilitation that required him to spend long stretches in the water and keep grinding through the winter months. The Islanders can now begin to see the benefits of that patience, even if there is still more work ahead before everything feels fully normal again. For Palmieri, simply being around teammates and back in a team setting has already been a meaningful step after a brutal stretch away from the rink. [Read more 🡒]
Cole Eiserman Is Giving Islanders Fans A Reason To Dream Bigger
Cole Eisermans first taste of preseason action against NHL players gave Islanders fans a little more to chew on when it comes to the organizations future. The young prospect said the experience helped him test his skills and grow more confident, and it came at a useful moment as he continues adjusting to the faster, sharper pace that comes with moving from the NCAA to Bridgeport and then into a more demanding pro environment.
Eiserman also noted how valuable it has been to share the ice with NHL talent, saying it has helped him better understand his positioning and his offensive game. For a player whose ceiling already has people around the Islanders talking, those small signs of comfort matter, especially when the next step is learning how to create against the kind of goaltending and defensive structure he will keep seeing as he climbs. [Read more 🡒]