Round 1 - 5th overall
New York Islanders - Nino Niederreiter
6' 1" 201 lbs - Right Wing, Portland (WHL)
With Cam Fowler there for the taking, the Islanders stuck with their guns and picked the guy they had wanted all along - Nino Niederreiter.
The dynamic playmaker had seen his stock skyrocket the past few months and the Islanders were locked into taking him no matter what pick they ended up with. Fowler was there after the Blue Jackets picked Ryan Johanson, and was the one player that many felt would be the guy that could take Niederreiter’s spot for the Islanders if he was available.
Instead, they stuck with their guns and nabbed Niederreiter, who was certainly a worthy top-5 pick and comparable in skill to Hall and Seguin.