NY Islanders Sign Forward Matias Maccelli to Affordable One-Year Deal

The New York Islanders have signed a talented forward to an affordable one-year deal.

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. / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Islanders came into free agency with a desire to improve, and they have been able to sign a very interesting player who could help the team. 

With free agency kicking off for the New York Islanders, there has been a lot of speculation about the plan for the team. Despite being with the franchise for his entire career and being the captain, Anders Lee is now a free agent and testing the open market. 

New York seemingly doesn’t want to be handing out multi-year deals to veteran players, and with some bad contracts on the books, that makes sense. However, this is still a team that would like to improve, and they have done so with a recent signing. 

According to reports, the Islanders have agreed to a one-year, $2.25 million deal with Matias Maccelli. 

Maccelli Provides Upside

Islanders sign Matias Maccelli, one year x $2.25 M

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) July 1, 2026

Coming off a bit of a disappointing season in his first with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team decided to move on from Maccelli, making him a free agent. At just 25 years old, he is an appealing player to add with some success already in the NHL. 

With the Arizona Coyotes in the 2023-24 campaign, he totaled a career-high 57 points with 17 goals and 40 assists. Maccelli can be a really nice playmaker on the wing, and it will be interesting to see who they pair him up with. The Islanders lack goal scorers outside of Bo Horvat, but he and the newest addition could be a good pairing. 

However, while he has had success in the past, last year on a bad Maple Leafs team was a disappointment. Overall, he totaled 39 points with 14 goals and 25 assists. However, a -23 +/- on the ice was far from ideal. 

It is a bit of a surprise to see him sign the deal that he did at just 25 years old. Perhaps he sees the Islanders as an opportunity to have a significant role, prove himself, and seek a larger deal next season. 

However, for New York, this appears to be a great deal on paper for the team. They are getting a forward who could help their top six potentially and at a very fair cost. Cap space is a concern for the team, but with the low number for Maccelli, they still have some room to play with. Overall, the Islanders should be pleased with this addition.