The big question for the future of the Islanders is where will John Tavares sign his next NHL contract?
If the answer is back with the Islanders, then the prospect pool becomes more of a support system to build around him. The team will be looking for immediate support to surround Tavares during the height of his powers as an elite player and try to build a Cup contender around him.
However, if Tavares leaves as a free agent, it will trigger a full rebuild as the team will look to build in another direction and look within the prospect pipeline for answers.