Following the signings of defenseman Tony DeAngelo and goalie David Rittich, Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche’s first-ever opening day of the NHL free agency period continued with its largest move yet, inking veteran winger Jonathan Drouin to a two-year, $8 million deal on Tuesday.
The 30-year-old spent the last two seasons with the juggernaut Colorado Avalanche, scoring 30 goals with 63 assists (93 points) in 122 games while proving to be a solid power-play contributor.
The Islanders desperately need that, considering they finished second-to-last in the NHL with a 12.6% conversion rate. There will be some familiarity despite the move to New York, as the Islanders had already brought in former Avalanche assistant Ray Bennett — who worked closely with Drouin — to run their power play.
“We wanted to bring a bit of talent up front to help the power play,” Darche said during his Zoom availability on Tuesday. “That’s what Jonathan Drouin can do… He fits a need we have, and we wanted to improve the power play from last year. He’s a very good power-play player. Bennet knows his strength and how to use him on the power play.
Drouin is expected to slot into the Islanders’ middle six on the left wing, considering the right wing is seemingly already set with Mathew Barzal, Kyle Palmieri, Simon Holmstrom, and Pierre Engvall in place.
He will likely battle with last year’s marquee free-agent signing, Anthony Duclair, for second-line duties alongside JG Pageau and Palmieri.
Duclair’s status with New York is unknown after head coach Patrick Roy granted him a leave of absence in early April following a long-term injury absence and concerningly subpar play upon his return.
Drouin has often been a wild card despite possessing the tools to be a legitimate top-six forward. After scoring just twice in 58 games with the Montreal Canadiens in 2022-23, he posted 19 in his first season with Colorado and 11 in 43 games last year.
Granted, the Islanders do not possess the same offensive firepower as the Avalanche, but a playmaking role on a veteran line could bode well for a talent that has often struggled to carve his place in any of his NHL stops, which began with the Tampa Bay Lightning from 2014-2017.
The arrival of Darche has ensured that this will be the most different the re-tooling Islanders will look in years. They traded star defenseman Noah Dobson just hours before drafting Matthew Schaefer No. 1 overall on Friday. While he pushes for an opening-night spot, center Calum Ritchie is expected to make the team after being acquired from the Avalanche in the Brock Nelson trade in March.
Winger Cole Eiserman, who lit up Boston University in his freshman year, could also make a strong case for making the NHL roster come October.
