NY Islanders Add Forward Depth on Two-Year, Two-Way Contract

The New York Islanders were able to add some depth to their forward group.

Nov 22, 2025; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders General Manager Mathieu Darche speaks with fans at a pre-game event prior to the game against the St. Louis Blues at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Islanders have been mostly quiet this offseason, but as the summer has gone on, they are adding some depth for the franchise. 

Coming off a solid year, there was undoubtedly a hope that the Islanders were going to make a splash this summer. However, asking prices on the trade market for top talent were extremely high, and New York isn’t in the business of giving away draft picks right now. 

Furthermore, with the free agency class not being the strongest and the Islanders not having a ton of cap space to begin with, it resulted in a quiet summer for the most part. 

However, even though the team didn’t make any major moves, they will be hoping that the development of some young talent along with some key players being healthy will be enough to get them into the playoffs. 

Furthermore, as the team prepares for next year, they have still been seeking some options to improve their depth between the AHL and NHL levels. Recently, they have agreed to a two-year, two-way deal with Joey Larson. 

Islanders Add Depth 

#Isles News: The New York Islanders announced today that forward Joey Larson has signed a two-year, two-way (NHL/AHL) contract.

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) July 22, 2026

The former Michigan State standout was with the Bridgeport Islanders last year for a full campaign and now will be part of the franchise for the next couple of years. 

With Bridgeport last season in the AHL, he totaled 28 points in 63 games on 17 goals and 11 assists. His 17 goals ranked him third on the team in that category, with the 25-year-old showing the ability to put the puck in the net. 

Larson will be providing the Islanders with some needed depth in the organization at the forward spot, giving them a solid player who will be able to contribute at the AHL level. 

New York has a lot of question marks at forward coming into the year, and how Peter DeBoer looks to set his lines and who will be in the lineup is going to be an interesting decision. 

For Larson, he should be continuing to work hard and wait for a potential chance to make his NHL debut. While starting the season in the NHL does seem unlikely, perhaps if there are some struggles or someone gets injured, he could be an option. 

He clearly left a good impression on the organization after his first full year at Bridgeport, and now he will be seeking to continue to develop into an NHL player.