Jesse Graham was on the sidewalk with his family as I was walking to meet my friends outside CEC. He caught sight of me. So, naturally, this happened.

So, this year the Islanders decided they really did need defense.

All seven rounds of the 2012 NHL Draft saw New York stock up on their blueliners for the long haul. Mind you, each is somewhat different. You’ve got your big defensemen, your smaller defenseman, your fighting defenseman with an epic name (seriously, Loic Leduc… seriously), your Finnish defensman, and your American defensemen. Not all of them may pan out — that’s just the nature of the beast — but they’re all baby Islanders now, and they each have something to offer, should they continue to develop and have the opportunities necessary to make it to the next level.

More on each new prospect as I do my research, but for now, here’s a list of names in case you’d like to do your own homework. Perhaps the best thing about draft weekend is that now I have an excuse to be a complete geek about hockey for the next couple of, oh, I don’t know, MONTHS.

Round 2: Adam Pelech, Erie Otters (OHL)

Round 3: Ville Pokka, Karpat, SM-liiga (Finland)

Round 4: Loic Leduc, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL)

Round 5: Doyle Somerby, Kimball Union Academy (New Hampshire) (HS)

Round 6: Jesse Graham, Niagara Ice Dogs (OHL)

Round 7:  Jake Bischoff, Grand Rapids High School (Minnesota)