New York Islanders select Kamil Bednarik No. 61 overall in 2024 NHL Draft

At the NHL Draft, there are high-risk home run swings and safe picks. Kamil Bednarik, a left-shooting center out of USA Hockey’s National Team Development program, qualifies as the latter.

On Saturday at the Sphere in Las Vegas, the New York Islanders selected select Bednarik in the second round, No. 61 overall.

He was better than a point-per-game player with the U.S. NTDP this season, aided offensively by his strong hockey sense, his quick release and especially his motor for retrieving pucks and chasing down rebounds. But make no mistake: Bednarik’s calling card is his two-way game. He shows pretty much every trait you’d want from a defensively conscientious forward. He plays with the physicality of a man much bigger than his six-foot, 186-pound frame, he kills penalties, he backchecks tenaciously and he causes turnovers with his anticipation and stickwork. He’s a bulldog who doesn’t shy away from contact and can be a momentum changer on any given shift.

Bednarik, 18, is a Boston University commit who will be joined there next season by his USTDP teammates and fellow 2024 draftees Cole Eiserman and Cole Hutson. With San Jose Sharks No. 1 overall pick Macklin Celebrini all but guaranteed to go pro, the Terriers welcome the reinforcements. Bednarik’s mature 200-foot game gives him potential to play all over an NHL team’s lineup someday, but some time in the NCAA will do him good. Playing big minutes against men will provide a better sense of what his offensive ceiling is – especially since he may still have sniper Eiserman on his wing. It’s probable Bednarik is more of a lead-by-example middle six forward than a star – or maybe just a top-tier checking forward a the NHL level – but he should be a good one at that, the type of player coaches trust to protect a lead late in a playoff game.

_____

POST SPONSORED BY bet365