Day 2 of the draft is usually more interesting as a lead-in to July 1 than for any individual prospect drafted. That felt more the case than normal for the Islanders on Saturday.

Consensus had the Islanders winning on the first night of the draft, when general manager Mathieu Darche nabbed Victor Eklund and Kashawn Aitcheson in addition to Matthew Schaefer at No. 1 overall.

The picks on Saturday, particularly 6-foot-6 wing Daniil Prokhorov at 42nd overall and toolsy center Luca Romano at 74th, got good reviews from experts, but come training camp, neither will solve the gaping roster hole created by trading Noah Dobson.

In a different organization, you’d wonder whether the Gavin McKenna tank was on. Darche, though, confirmed the obvious on Saturday in telling The Post that Mat Barzal and Bo Horvat will not be moved.

Still, after Dobson was dealt to the Canadiens for a package including the picks that became Eklund and Aitcheson as well as bottom six wing Emil Heineman, it’s a lot easier to see a rebuild path for the Islanders than the pieces of a competitor in 2025-26.

That will be of no solace to Darche, who has two simultaneous and contradictory mandates — one to rebuild a prospect pipeline that was completely bereft a year ago and the other to keep the Islanders relevant through 82 games next season.

“I’m still going to try and improve the roster,” Darche said after repeating his statement from Friday night that the Islanders are not rebuilding.

He nailed the first assignment this weekend.

The second will need to be done in free agency, where the Dobson trade gives the Islanders a sudden $9.5 million in room to maneuver after accounting for restricted free agents Alexander Romanov, Max Tsyplakov, Simon Holmstrom and Heineman.

Daniil Prokhorov poses after being drafted by the Islanders in the second round with the 42nd overall pick during Rounds 2-7 of the 2025 NHL Draft on June 28, 2025 in Los Angeles. Getty Images

None of the Islanders’ remaining RFAs is expected to hit the same snags as Dobson, but Romanov seems slightly further along, as Darche confirmed he spoke with agent Dan Milstein on Saturday.

The exact makeup of the roster next season is unclear, with Schaefer, Cal Ritchie and Isaiah George all set to fight for spots in training camp.

It’s worth noting that Heineman — who has been overlooked as part of the return package — should be a major help to a fourth line that was at best a nonfactor last season.

The 6-foot-2 Swede is a raw physical talent — he throws hits, plays with energy and will be embraced by fans.

Luca Romano smiles after being selected in the third round
with the 74th overall pick by the Islanders on Day 2 of the NHL
draft. NHLI via Getty Images

Still, if the Islanders don’t address the right side of their blue line in the coming days, it’s hard to see how this team could even contend for a playoff spot.

With Ryan Pulock, Scott Mayfield and Adam Boqvist — who played more games with the Isles last season on his off side than on the right — as the three righties currently on the roster, that now looks like an urgent area of need.

Darche also said that although Semyon Varlamov is progressing well in his rehab from a season-ending knee injury, the Islanders could look for a goalie in free agency to protect themselves.

“Now that I closed one file [Dobson’s] through a trade, I have some cap flexibility to do other things,” Darche said. “Early tomorrow morning, we’ll be regrouping in the office. We started with a plan in free agency, it’s almost like we have Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, Plan D, because it all depends what was gonna happen with the restricted free agents. But now we have some clarity on one of the big pieces and hopefully get some clarity on a couple others soon.”

Islanders GM Mathieu Darche speaks to the media during his introductory press conference on May 29, 2025. NHLI via Getty Images

The Islanders can bring back Tony DeAngelo, who fit well with them last season, can run the power play, eat minutes, help fill the offensive hole left by Dobson and expressed a desire to return on breakup day.

That, however, can’t be the whole solution; DeAngelo proved last season that he very much belongs in the NHL and can help the Islanders, but playing him 23:21 per game on the top pair again does not seem sustainable.

The market for righty defensemen is thin, which is part of the reason why Dobson could command $9.5 million annually despite struggling for much of last season. In a perfect world, the Islanders would take a run at Aaron Ekblad, who is exactly the sort of No. 1 defenseman they need and would bring a Stanley Cup-winning pedigree.

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Evolving Hockey projects his next contract at six years with an annual $7.685 million cap hit. The number is a little uncomfortable but with the cap set to continue rising and the Islanders newly resourced, they could deal with it.

Whether that’s a realistic proposition for the Islanders, and whether the market for Ekblad will outstrip that projection following a superb playoff run, is a different proposition that can’t be answered as of yet.

Darche also doesn’t anticipate the Islanders extending an offer sheet to anyone, adding that the abundance of cap space makes it easier for teams to match and likelier that an offer sheet would be an overpayment.

For all his different plans, though, it’s just as likely that succeeding in free agency is a matter of flexibility.

“You have to be able to take advantage of opportunities if you have them,” Darche said. “You tweak your plan. You have a general plan of where you want to go, but sometimes, some things might go quicker than others. Some things might go slower. You just have to be able to adjust.”