Eiserman and Bednarik’s bromance on the Islanders Similar to Barzal and Beauvillier’s
Fans’ thoughts instantly went back to the 2015 NHL Draft when the New York Islanders selected Cole Eiserman and Kamil Bednarik, two teammates and recruits to Boston University, in the 2024 NHL Draft. Before they became potent NHL forwards, the team selected Mat Barzal and Anthony Beauvillier, best friends, with their first two picks in 2015. This is not to say that Eiserman and Bednarik will become what Barzal and Beauvillier became, but it is interesting to contrast the two “bromances” because of their many similarities.
Beauvillier and Barzal’s friendship
Barzal and Beauvillier had an interview with Cory Wright of NHL.com in 2018. The two spoke about their time together as roommates at the Under-18 development camp for Team Canada, where Beauvillier assisted Barzal with packing his suitcase after an injury. They grew closer after that and advanced in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Following Beauvillier’s selection at age 28, the two “jumped into each other’s arms when they met on the concourse in orange and blue” months later, when they were both selected by the Islanders in the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft.
In the summer of 2015, Barzal and Beauvillier went to their first NHL camps together. The following season, at the age of 18, they were selected for Team Canada for the 2016 World Juniors. The next year, Barzal rejoined the Seattle Thunderbirds, and Beauvillier was added to the NHL squad. But they were only apart for a short while.
