Islanders Land ‘Future Top-Six NHL Forward’ in 2027 Mock Draft

This offseason for the New York Islanders has been a low-key one focused primarily on continuing to turn over the roster with an eye toward the future.

General manager Mathieu Darche has mentioned the team could have about $40 million in cap space to play with next offseason. A large portion of that will undoubtedly go to star defenseman Matthew Schaefer, but even if he takes up half of that amount with an extension, there is still plenty of money to spend to build the roster around him.

With so many key contributors already locked into long-term deals, the focus will be on finding the right pieces to build around their franchise cornerstone. Schaefer is the real deal and will be part of every decision the team makes.

That includes future draft picks. The team has the luxury of knowing they have a blueline anchor for years to come and selected a defensive-minded long-term partner for him in Malte Gustafsson in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft.

That is why it should come as no surprise that in a way-too-early 2027 NHL Mock Draft done by Corey Pronman of The Athletic (subscription required), the Islanders are adding a dynamic forward to the mix.

With the No. 10 pick in Pronman’s mock, New York comes away with Noah Davidson, a left winger from the Medicine Hat Tigers in the WHL.

“Davidson has all the looks of a future top-six NHL forward. He’s a tall, fast, highly skilled winger. He’s a reliable player off the puck who competes well and wins battles while also having a lot of offense. He has a great shot, makes difficult plays with the puck and creates chances in a way that will translate up levels,” Pronman wrote.

Islanders fans will assuredly be upset about their placement in this draft order. Selecting No. 10 means they missed the postseason for a third straight year. While they would certainly prefer seeing their team in the playoffs, landing a player of Davidson’s caliber in the 2027 NHL Draft would be a nice consolation.

Only 17 years old, he already has great size for a future NHL pro, measuring in at 6-foot-3 and 216 pounds. It is fair to assume that he will add even more size and strength as his frame fills out without losing any of the skill, speed and athleticism that he possesses.

Davidson stuffed the stat sheet with Medicine Hat during the 2025-26 campaign. In 67 regular season games, he had 52 total points, scoring 30 goals while handing out 22 assists, with a plus/minus of +46.

Impressively, his production didn’t slip at all in the postseason. He played in 15 games with the Tigers, lighting the lamp six times and handing out six assists to go with a plus/minus of +1.

Davidson is already committed to playing collegiately with Boston College beginning in the 2027-28 season.