Islanders sign Matthew Highmore, Cole McWard to one-year, two-way deals

The team also announced the signings of forwards Chris Terry, Max Dorrington, Cam Berg, Ross Mitton and Hunter Drew, as well as defenseman Luke Rowe, to one-year AHL contracts.

Highmore, 29, has 14 goals and 21 assists for 35 points in 187 career NHL regular-season games with the Ottawa Senators, St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks and Chicago Blackhawks. He has also scored 61 goals and 105 assists for 166 points in 231 career AHL regular-season games with the Belleville Senators, Springfield Thunderbirds and Rockford IceHogs.

Meanwhile, the 24-year-old McWard spent 2024-25 with the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks, scored six goals and 20 assists for 26 points in 67 regular-season games. In 124 career AHL games, McWard has 10 goals and 33 assists for 43 points. In six career NHL games with the Canucks, he has one goal.

Earlier in the day, the Islanders signed goaltender David Rittich to a one-year contract, as well as Ethan Bear to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000.

The Islanders went 35-35-12 with 82 points, sixth in the Metropolitan Division and 11th in the Eastern Conference. They were nine points shy of a Wild Card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Bo Horvat led the team in both assists (29) and points (57) to go along with his 28 goals. Anders Lee was second in points with 54, scoring 29 goals and recording 25 assists.