New York Islanders Free Agency Updates

With the date of July 1st come and gone, unrestricted free agency in the past, fans can find some peace in the mundane for a short time. Whatever that looks like, with a buzzing off-season still in the works. But the main storylines have already been put into place. Some had been surprising, and others wound up making sense.

One of the biggest storylines that kept fans guessing whether it would happen was Islanders’ Captain Anders Lee signing a three-year, $16.2 million contract. Lee had spent his entire professional career coming out of Notre Dame, with a little time in Bridgeport, making the team, and creating a name for himself on Long Island. Which is where he would stay for fourteen years. A place where he mentions he had grown with other players, getting married, and raising their young kids together. Players often mention the human element behind trades and deals like this. In the next breath, they also note that it’s a business. Fans are taking to social media to wish the former captain the best with the Utah Mammoth.

While the rest of the storylines may not be as impactful as needing a new captain, they were still newsworthy.

No qualifying offers had been made to physical player and fan favorite Marc Gatcomb, allowing him to then sign with The Vegas Golden Knights. A two-year, $1.75 million contract will give him a chance to make their fourth line.

The Minnesota Wild signed Maxim Shabanov. The Islanders were Shabanov’s first NHL chance out of the Kontinental Hockey League. While he had some difficulty remaining in the lineup for the Isles, playing for the Wild will give him a chance to find consistency in being an everyday player he had tried to be. Meaning he’ll have more chances to showcase what he can do. Keeping in mind that transitioning from the KHL systems to the NHL doesn’t always go as planned. It could take a little longer to find the game players show.

Matt Luff joined the Islanders in Bridgeport last season. He was just signed to a one-year, two-way contract extension. While he will likely report to Hamilton instead of Elmont right now, there is potential to see him down the stretch of a long season. Playing in Hamilton is like a homecoming for the 29-year-old forward, who is an Oakville native, which is only about 30 minutes from where Luff will now be playing. During the 2025-2026 season, Luff played in the American Hockey League, representing the Springfield Thunderbirds. He was the leading team scorer with 14 goals, 25 assists, and 39 points. Also, landing a spot on the AHL All-Star Roster.

As far as goalies go, David Rittich will make the move to New Jersey to join the Devils. He signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the team. Semyon Varlamov is likely to back up Ilya Sorokin. There are still elements to be determined, and they will be based on how the veteran goaltender plays. But Mathieu Darche is bringing in former Devils goaltender Vitek Vanecek as an extra insurance policy. Vanecek spent time with the Sharks, Capitals, and Panthers before coming to the Islanders’ organization. Varlamov has yet to take NHL ice for a regular-season game, but having the Islanders stack some luck won’t hurt as the season goes on.