Odds against Islanders drafting local product James Hagens No. 1 overall

The New York Islanders caught a massive break on Monday when they won the NHL Draft Lottery despite only having a 3.5 percent chance before the ping-pong balls started bouncing.The Islanders, who finished with the 10th-worst record in the NHL this season, had the second-lowest odds of winning the lottery, only ahead of the Rangers.But the hockey gods smiled down on the Isles, allowing them to add a blue-chip prospect to a system that has long been viewed as one of the weakest in the league.What made this lottery win extra dramatic is the fact that one of the top players in the draft pool is a local product.James Hagens, a native of Hauppauge on Long Island, was the consensus top prospect before the 2024-25 season began, but was passed on most draft boards by defenseman Matthew Schaefer and forward Michael Misa by the midway point of the campaign.The betting market for the NHL Draft won’t truly settle for weeks, but the initial offering from bet365 sportsbook suggests that the Islanders are unlikely to draft Hagens with the top pick.Hagens is currently listed at +225 to go No.

1 overall, with the field sitting at -300.Those odds carry an implied probability of 30.8 percent.There is important context, however.When this market first opened, Hagens was +375 to go No.

1 overall, so this price has shortened since the Islanders won the lottery.That line movement is logical, as it makes more sense for the Islanders to pick Hagens, who grew up an Isles fan, in this spot than just about any other team.There is also the possibility, albeit unlikely, that the Islanders trade down from the top pick and draft Hagens while accruing more assets in the process.The Islanders are still searching for their new general manager after letting Lou Lamoriello go in April.Round 1 of the 2025 NHL Draft will take place on June 27 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles....