On the Islanders Beat

The Isles traded down to Toronto’s No. 7 spot and added two draft picks in the process. A team source indicated they are confident they still will get the player they want. The Maple Leafs chose defenseman Luke Scehnn with the fifth pick. Columbus is up next in sixth.

In exchange for the fifth pick, the Islanders not only get No. 7, but they have a choice of possibilities with Toronto. Either they can take the Leafs’ second-round pick this year (No. 60) plus their third-round pick in 2009, or the Isles can take the Leafs’ third-round pick this year (No. 68) and a second-round pick in 2009. They already own two picks in both the second and third round this year and will add one more in one of those rounds, giving them a total of 11 of the first 175 picks.

Columbus chose Russian winger Nikita Filatov, the player most had pegged with the Isles, with pick No. 6. Obviously, Islanders general manager Garth Snow has another player targeted because he would not have risked letting the Blue Jackets take Filatov if he was the player they wanted.