Opinion: Who’s Loyal, Who’s a Bombshell? Welcome to the NHL Draft

By Whitney Randall

Picture this: a fresh lineup of 18-to 20-year-old men all waiting for their shot. Everyone’s dressed to the nines. There’s drama, last-minute commitments, and lifelong connections on the line. No, this isn’t “Love Island,” it’s the National Hockey League draft. 

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If you’ve ever found yourself a little lost with the sports talk but fluent in Love Island lingo, here is your ultimate cheat sheet because the draft is just “Love Island” with skates and sticks. The draft consists of 32 teams picking the best possible player.

Every June, an eager batch of eligible hockey players enters the scene. They’ve spent the last year putting in the work with minor leagues, college teams, clubs, and even internationally, all to catch the eye of the NHL. Think of them as our bombshells from Casa Amor, competitive, confident, and ready to turn heads. 

Before the draft, our teams begin scouting heavily, looking for their next new connection. They watch tape after tape, conduct interviews, and invite players to camps, all to get a feel for who they are as individuals or players. You could say they are constantly pulling them for chats to see if they’re a good fit for their team. 

Now it’s time to put those connections to the test because it’s time for a draft night. Or as the islanders know it, our first recoupling. One by one, general managers announce their pick: who they will be adding to their roster. 

With our first pick of the season, the New York Islanders are coupling up with D. Matthew Schaefer, Erie Otters. 

For our second pick of the season, the San Jose Sharks are exploring their connection with F. Michael Misa, Saginaw Spirit.

Next, the Chicago Blackhawks couple up with F. Anton Frondell, Djurgårdens IF.

With our fourth pick of the night, the Utah Mammoth chose to couple up with F. Caleb Desnoyers, Moncton Wildcats.

This continues across all 32 NHL teams, each making multiple selections over seven rounds. Instead of forming just one connection, our teams are building their rosters, seeing who is best for them in the long run. 

The top 10 draft picks are like the first bombshells; they show up week one ready to steal hearts and take up all of the screen time. These are your Will Smiths, Macklin Celebrinis, and Logan Cooleys. They are your players with the best stats, biggest hype, and a guaranteed shot at the main villa or joining the team roster permanently. 

For our late rounders, these are the fifth, sixth, or even seventh-round draft picks. These are your Hildebys, Finnies, Vejmelkas, and Hradecs. They are the slow burners, the fiercely loyal and hardworking individuals who end up winning over the fans. They may not be the day ones, but they could be the ones hoisting the Stanley Cup in the end. 

Now, for our Casa Twist, in season 7 of “Love Island,” the twist was a recoupling that left the single islanders dropped from the villa. For the NHL, they have Development Time, where they train with the team, hoping to move on to the permanent roster. Like Casa Amor, not everyone makes it back to the villa, or in this case, the team. Some get sent to the junior leagues, college, or the American Hockey League to continue growing. It’s not a setback, it’s the hockey version of Casa Amor: separation, challenges, and tests of loyalty. Development Time is where teams find out if a player is really ready for the NHL and the season roster spot.

And just when you think your OG islanders, the fan favorites that have been on the roster forever, are safe, they get recoupled too. Before the draft even starts, teams make deals and trades to get the more experienced players on their roster. With every one of these trades, it feels like our favorites are getting dumped from the villa.

Once drafted, players aren’t just impressing the coaches anymore; now they’re under public scrutiny. Every bad game, wrong move, or postgame quote is going to be torn apart by the fans. It’s like TikTok edits or posts after every “Love Island” episode. Fans are brutal, but unlike the islanders, players still have their phones, so they’re seeing all of your judgments in real-time. These athletes have to keep the good energy, great game presence flowing to keep the fans on their side.

At the end of the day, these teams are just trying to find someone to close things off with. They are searching for the player who’s loyal, skilled, and in it for the long haul. The one who brings amazing stats and fan engagement. A franchise favorite.

Just like “Love Island,” they go through ups and downs trying to find that one perfect match that they can see joining their team. While the NHL may not have $100,000 and their ultimate match on the line, they do have over three million dollars, a championship title, and the Stanley Cup that every team is vying for.