NY Islanders See Ideal Target in Free Agency Sign With NJ Devils

Which ideal target in free agency for the New York Islanders has signed elsewhere?

Feb 8, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; View of a New Jersey Devils logo on a jersey worn by a member of the team during the second period at Bell Centre. / USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

As the New York Islanders prepare for next season, they still might make some moves to try and improve before then. However, a forward who figured to be a good target for them has recently signed with a division rival. 

Due to the salary cap situation for the Islanders not being the best heading into the summer, they weren’t expected to be a super active team in free agency. That has certainly ended up being the case. 

Of the new additions, the most notable for the team was Matias Maccelli on a very affordable one-year, $2.25 million deal. This could end up being one of the best value deals of the entire offseason, but New York ideally would have been able to add more. 

Furthermore, while the additions were a bit limited, the team also saw their captain, Anders Lee, leave in free agency. After being with the Islanders for his entire career, the two sides were unable to reach an agreement for him to stay because of the term of the contract. Now, he will be playing for the Utah Mammoth, who signed him to a three-year deal. 

While most of the free agents were signed on the opening day of free agency, some veteran forwards have slipped through the cracks and are still available. Recently, one player who would have made a lot of sense for the Islanders signed with the New Jersey Devils. 

Anthony Mantha Joins New Jersey

Anthony Mantha to the New Jersey Devils

2 x $4.75M

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 15, 2026

Coming off a breakout season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, it was a bit surprising to see Mantha not signed yet. The 31-year-old was able to total 64 points with 33 goals and 31 assists. 

That type of production is something that nearly every team in the league should have welcomed, but it is the Devils who ultimately were able to land him. 

With Mantha signing a two-year deal for $4.75 million, that seems like a very favorable contract for New Jersey. Even though the Islanders have been a bit hesitant to give out multi-year deals, that’s a very fair number for someone coming off a 33-goal season. 

However, with the cap space being tight for the Islanders, they would have had to try to either move or eat some of one of the bad contracts that the team has on the books to be able to land him. 

Overall, Mantha would have been a strong addition for the Islanders, and seeing him go to a division rival is far from ideal.