2010 NHL Mock Draft, Fifth Pick: New York Islanders Select Eric Gudbranson

With the fifth pick in the 2010 SB Nation NHL Mock Draft, our New York Islanders bloggers at Lighthouse Hockey select...

Eric Gudbranson, Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)

photo via cyberpresse.ca

From Lighthouse Hockey:

While the scoring knack and size of Brett Connolly is tempting, the Islanders have bad luck with players possessing hip X-rays in their medical records. Having selected forwards with their last three top-10 picks (Kyle Okposo 2006, Josh Bailey 2008, John Tavares 2009), the Islanders go for blueline help in 2010.

Erik Gudbranson is big, he's mean, and he addresses a void in the Islanders' system, which is heavy on smaller puck-moving blueliners and light on snarl. Gudbranson on the 2011-12 Islanders blueline paints a pretty picture...

Click on over to Lighthouse Hockey for the full breakdown on Gudbranson.

Next up today, our Tampa Bay Lightning bloggers at Raw Charge will announce their pick.