NY Islanders Forward Unsurprisingly Seen as an Extremely Efficient Contract

Which forward on the New York Islanders has a very efficient contract?

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

With the NHL season quickly approaching, it seems the New York Islanders will be hoping to be a bit better than they were last season. 

Coming off a 91-point campaign, expectations for the Islanders coming into this season are going to be to contend for a playoff spot once again. New York really struggled down the stretch and ultimately came up short last year, but the hope will be that they can be a bit better. 

However, this summer was largely a quiet one for the Islanders. The team didn’t have a ton of cap space to make additions, and they were mostly quiet. New York is going to be a team that is going to rely on some of their young players to develop, and that will be key for their success. 

However, of the moves they did make this offseason, their best, and one of the best in the entire league, was the signing of Matias Maccelli. 

Recently, Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic (subscription required) wrote about some of the best contracts for the Islanders, and Maccelli was graded as one of the best. 

Maccelli Could Be Best Contract Value on Islanders

Apr 8, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Matias MacCelli (63) attempts a shot on Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson (48) during the first period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Excluding the fantastic entry-level contract of Matthew Schaefer, the newly signed forward for the Islanders arguably is the best contract value on the team. 

This offseason, it was a bit shocking to see the young forward sign a one-year, $2.25 million deal. While he was coming off a disappointing campaign with the Toronto Maple Leafs, he is still very young and has shown quite a bit of promise. 

With the Arizona Coyotes in the 2023-24 campaign, he totaled a career-high 57 points on 17 goals and 40 assists. The 25-year-old has proven that he can be an effective playmaker, and that could be a valuable asset for the Islanders. 

While New York might not have the best scorers on their roster, Maccelli is a good playmaker who could help make others around him better. It is going to be interesting to see where he winds up, as new head coach Peter DeBoer will have no shortage of decisions to make regarding his lines. 

Putting Maccelli next to their best goal scorer in Bo Horvat makes a lot of sense, but the 25-year-old potentially being on the first line for the Islanders does seem a bit unlikely. 

Overall, with some contracts for New York not being the best, Maccelli is certainly one that Mathieu Darche did an excellent job on in free agency.