New York Islanders Sign Jonathan Drouin to 2-Year Deal

Drouin is coming off yet another season plagued by injuries. Limited to just 43 games, he has only managed to play in more than 60 games twice since the 2018-19 season, when he was with the Montreal Canadiens.

How Drouin Did in 2024-25

Perhaps the most frustrating thing about Drouin is that he makes the most of his time on the ice when he is healthy. In 2023-24, his first healthy season in years, he scored 19 goals and posted career highs in assists (37) and points (56). He was on a better pace (0.86 versus 0.708 points per game) in 2024-25 before missing substantial time with a lower-body injury.

Drouin has shown in recent seasons that with decent linemates, he can become a legitimate second-line scoring option. His pace with the Avalanche, which included limited power-play time, is a good indication of what his ceiling can be.

What Drouin Brings to the Table

The million-dollar question is, “Can he stay healthy?” For the last five seasons, the clear answer to that is “no.” Drouin has played in more than 58 games just once since the 2018-19 season, though one of those was the weird COVID season.

The oft-injured winger is an excellent playmaker with fantastic puck skills that made him the third overall pick in 2013. Though he may never become the elite offensive performer that many envisioned, he can easily step into the lineup and play second-line minutes on a good team.

Plenty of teams are looking for more offense, and Drouin could provide that. Of course, he seems just as likely to miss around half the team’s games, which is partially why he was signed for such a sweetheart deal given his offensive output the past two seasons.

How Drouin Fits With the Islanders

The simple fact of the matter is that Drouin needs to stay on the ice. The best ability, as they say, is availability. As we saw in 2023-24, he is capable of being there for most of a season. Whether that is an anomaly remains to be seen. The Islanders are taking a gamble on his prior production – 93 points in 123 games – that he will be able to be a quality top-six contributor.

When he is on the ice, Drouin will be an excellent addition offensively. He can play adequate defense while contributing as one of the better playmakers on the team. If he can get back into the 50-60-point range, it would make this signing a slam dunk. What you get out of him in the playoffs is another story, but likely a bridge to be crossed at a later time. As it stands, this is a solid signing with the potential to be a steal if he can remain healthy and productive, especially with the youth movement happening on Long Island.