The New York Islanders had five selections in the final five rounds of the 2012 NHL Draft, and like their first two selections the Islanders chose to go on the defensive with them.
The Isles' late round picks are led by Adam Pelech, who was selected with pick No. 65 in the third round. Pelech is a 6-foot-2 left handed defenseman who played with Erie of the Ontario Hockey League last year. While he isn't the best on the offensive end, Dominik at Lighthouse Hockey knows that the Islanders are getting a stalwart in the back line:
Essentially, the Islanders are drafting a big shutdown defenseman with limited offensive potential. McKeen's says he "plays to his strengths, never overhandles the puck" and makes a crisp, accurate first pass to streaking forwards in the neutral zone. They also say Pelech's skating will need improvement..
Here is the entire Islanders draft order:
- 1st Round, Pick No. 4: Griffin Reinhart, 6'3", D, Edmonton/WHL
- 2nd Round, Pick No. 34: Ville Pokka, 5'11", D, Karpat/Finland
- 3rd Round, Pick No. 65: Adam Pelech, 6'2", D, Erie/OHL
- 4th Round, Pick No. 103: Loic Leduc, 6'5", D, Cape Breton/QMJHL
- 5th Round, Pick No. 125: Doyle Somerby, 6'4", D, Kimball Union HS
- 6th Round, Pick No. 155: Jesse Graham, 5'11", D, Niagara/OHL
- 7th Round, Pick No. 185: Jake Bischoff, 5'11", D, Grand Rapids HS
For more coverage of the Islanders, visit our blog Lighthouse Hockey. See SB Nation's NHL Hub for more coverage of the 2012 NHL Draft.