In the 2019 NHL Draft, the New York Islanders were the first team to go off the board with their pick. With 23rd overall pick, the Islanders decided to go with Simon Holmstrom who many had mocked in the second round.
With Holmstrom it wasn’t about talent, it was about staying healthy, which is something he struggled with during the entirety of the 2018-2019 season.
When Simon Holmstrom first came over for rookie camp he was sidelined because he blocked a shot in Sweden before coming over. He missed the first week or so of camp and he was only able to play in one preseason game.