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The New York Islanders were unquestionably the team of the NHL Draft. They traded Noah Dobson for two first-round picks, drafted first overall, and used both picks from the trade. New general manager Mathieu Darche has set up the prospect pipeline for the future and then turned his attention to the present. The Islanders made their first free agency signing by bringing in NHL veteran Jonathan Drouin on a two-year deal.
#Isles Transaction: The New York Islanders have signed forward Jonathan Drouin to a two-year contract.
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) July 1, 2025
Drouin has had an interesting career since the Tampa Bay Lightning drafted him third overall in 2013. Tampa traded him to the Montreal Canadiens after just three seasons, picking up Mikhail Sergachev. In Montreal, Drouin struggled with injuries. He scored 48 goals in 321 games across six seasons with the Habs. He revived his career with the Avalanche, scoring 30 goals in 122 games in the past two years.
The Islanders made a similar signing last summer, bringing in Anthony Duclair. An NHL journeyman with a scoring touch to help their middle six is exactly what they need. But Duclair was hurt for much of the season, scoring only seven goals in 44 games. They add Drouin to help lift what Duclair could not last year.
The Islanders have three restricted free agents to sign with just over $7 million in space to do it. Simon Holmstrom, Maxim Tsyplakov, and Emil Heineman will help address their lack of winger depth. All of those players are young with high offensive upside, which can help the future of the team. Those players should be the next priority before Darche runs out of space.
The Islanders brought back two defenseman before free agency opened, re-signing Alexander Romanov and Tony DeAngelo. After the Dobson trades, both of those players became indispensable.
Stick with ClutchPoints all day as Tristin McKinstry updates every move. We have breakdowns and reactions from the biggest contracts signed on July 1.
