Noah Pedrazzoli shines a light on an intriguing prospect in Ryan Lin, a savvy two-way defenseman!
Barring any sudden trades during the upcoming draft, the New York Islanders will be selecting 13th overall during this year’s edition of the entry-level draft. With the Islanders having a decent season to debut the Matthew Schaefer/Mathieu Darche era, missing the playoffs by a smidge, the Islanders still have a plethora of choices to make regarding their draft pick this year to improve the team. But let’s take a look at a premium player that the Islanders could pick in Ryan Lin.
Profile and Archetype
Ryan Lin is a prototypical puck-moving, yet two-way, defenseman that can control his own defensive zone and transition into a productive counterattack. Standing at 5’11”, while not having the well-desired height and size of a standard NHL defenseman, Lin receives praise for his hockey IQ and his ability to produce a two-way game.
RHD Ryan Lin has some of the most offensive potentials out of any defenseman in the NHL Draft
— The Prospect Don (@TheProspectDon) April 27, 2026
The hands, creativity, shot, skating, vision, IQ, will make him highly coveted in Junes Draft
University of Denver commit. Another weapon for David Carle pic.twitter.com/lBAgTLU0IW
Ryan Lin shows off his skating ability and puck mobility!
Lin consistently earns praise for his intelligence, as his consistency, endurance, and responsible mindset help distinguish him from many offensively minded defensemen. His play style is akin to his potential future partner in Matthew Schaefer, the NHL phenomenon who has become the poster child for the future of the two-way NHL defensive game.
If Lin’s skating and IQ are his main strengths, then his shot power is the main concern. However, it should be noted that this worry can be subsided due to his offensive production, which will be analyzed later on, and his ability to command both sides of the special teams. Similar to Schaefer, Lin has been charged with quarterbacking the power play during his time with the Vancouver Giants as well as their penalty kill.
“Lin is consistently referred to as smarter than most offensive minded defenseman due to his consistency, endurance, and responsible mindset.”
What the Islanders and their fans could expect from a prospect like Lin is a potential long-term complement to their franchise defenseman on the right-hand side—a pairing that could develop into one of the organization’s most dynamic duos for the future.
The Stats & What They Mean
Lin has a meticulous but aggressive impact while on the offensive. Due to his excellent puck movement and skating mobility, the two-way defenseman is a dual threat for any opposing team’s defensive structure.
This year alone, Lin exploded by producing 14 goals and 43 assists for 57 points in 53 games. This is in comparison to his first year in the WHL, where he produced 5 goals and 48 assists for 53 points in 60 games, marking a 7.5% increase in overall production between the two seasons, which is a fascinating indicator of his ability to improve and develop. What makes those numbers even more interesting is how his goalscoring exponentially increased in this past season, by about 180%, which highlights his ability to adapt and take the next step in producing difficult feats such as goalscoring (especially as a defenseman).
Fun little faceoff play from the Vancouver Giants on this Ryan Lin goal. Off the won draw, the weak-side defender (Lin) cuts to the back post while the inside winger fills his spot. #2026NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/MavExy7pSb
— Kareem Ramadan (@HockeyTakes15) April 29, 2026
Ryan Line with a deflection goal to showcase his savvy and opportunistic offensive mentality!
What sticks out like a sore thumb is his +/- rating from the last season and this season. During the 2024-2025 season, Lin ended the regular season with a +11 rating, in which the Giants were defeated in the first round of the playoffs. During this recent season, Lin concluded the season with a -19 rating, but the Giants finished in last place in the Western Conference. Nevertheless, regardless of the eyebrow-raising +/- differential between the two seasons, Lin is consistently praised for his two-way play, and his numbers demonstrate his ability to outwork an opposing team’s defensive network.
The Fit & Need
While the Islanders narrowly missed the playoffs, this past season has highlighted a few glaring gaps that could be patched in this year’s first round at the 13th overall pick. Ryan Lin provides a stimulant, similar to how Schaefer and Aitcheson are the clear future of the left-handed side of the defense, to the right-handed defensive trio.
Love this clip from the U18s. Oliver Suvanto pushes 6-foot-4 Lucas Ambrosio out of the way like it's nothing so he can drive the puck behind the net, but 5-foot-11(ish) Ryan Lin says "Nope, not on my watch" pic.twitter.com/tThNSIQndh
— Derek Neumeier (@Derek_N_NHL) May 6, 2026
Ryan Lin shows off his defensive poise in an intelligent play to stop an offensive drive behind his goalie’s net.
While Pulock has been a faithful and homegrown Islander, he is unfortunately not getting any younger even if he has been a mentor to Matthew Schaefer. Tony DeAngelo, if extended, is an excellent second-pairing defenseman and has excelled with Adam Pelech. To complete the defensive corps, Scott Mayfield serves as a stabilizing and veteran, yet imposing, presence to round out the bottom pairing. Currently, the Islanders have a relatively stable but aging right-handed side of their defensive pairings, a problem that Ryan Lin could easily answer.
It’s also worth noting that standout defensemen like Jacob Chychrun and Charlie McAvoy were selected in a similar range to where Lin is currently projected to be drafted. But with all that aside, the Islanders have the opportunity to inject a jolt of energy and youth into their defense with another promising and exciting player in Ryan Lin. Another two-way and responsible defenseman, who is also an offensive-producing machine, is a profile that Mathieu Darche and his team are likely considering in expediting the Islanders’ contention aspirations.
While the Islanders have other issues to address for the future, such as their center and right-wing successors, former Vancouver Giant Ryan Lin poses as a promising answer to the right-handed defensive position that the Islanders should consider, especially if he could one day form a nuclear pairing with Matthew Schaefer.
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