The NHL Entry Draft is vitally important for building a championship-caliber team, specifically in the cap era where every dollar spent has to count for something. The New York Islanders haven't always done a good job of maximizing their draft picks.
Hitting on first-round picks, where top tier NHL talent is usually found, is perhaps the most important in building a champion. Missing on picks that should be clear impact players for your club could sink a rebuild.
Since the cap was put in place in 2005-06, the Islanders have had 17 first-round picks, seven were in the top-ten of the first-round.