The Islanders wasted no time getting active once free agency opened, and Mathieu Darche already has three new names on the board.
Within the first hour and a half, New York locked up forward Matias Maccelli and goaltender Vitek Vanecek on one-year deals, then added right-shot defenseman Matt Kessel on another one-year contract.
Maccelli is the most interesting swing of the group. The 26-year-old, who spent last season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, is set to make $2.25 million in 2026-27. His year in Toronto was rough - 14 goals, 25 assists and a minus-23 rating in 75 games - but the Islanders are betting on the upside that showed up two seasons ago with the Arizona Coyotes, when he put up 17 goals and 40 assists.
For the Islanders, it’s the kind of low-risk move that can pay off if Maccelli finds his game. If he doesn’t, the team can move on after the season.
Vanecek comes in as the backup plan in the crease. The 30-year-old has bounced around quite a bit over the last three seasons, with stops with the NJ Devils, SJ Sharks, Florida Panthers and Utah Mammoth. He’ll make $1 million next season and gives the Islanders insurance behind Semyon Varlamov.
Kessel’s deal comes in at $850,000, and he figures to be a depth option on the blue line. The 6-foot-3 defenseman played 29 games for the St. Louis Blues last season, scoring twice and adding an assist, while bringing size and defensive value to the table.
So far, Darche has already checked off three signings on the opening day of free agency. There could still be more coming.
In Other News...
Islanders Linked To A Scoring Gamble Fans Know They Need
The Islanders have spent plenty of time searching for more punch up front, and the conversation around that need has now connected them to one of the leagues more intriguing scoring bets. Patrik Laine is still out there in free agency, and for a team that has been trying to find easier offense, the fit is easy to understand even before anyone starts digging into the riskier parts of the equation.
New York is not alone in looking for help, and this is exactly the kind of swing that can make sense on paper while still forcing a front office to weigh the downside carefully. The Islanders are also tracking the longer arc of their future, with 2026 first-round pick Malte Gustafsson keeping his own development path in place as he prepares to stay in Europe a little longer before coming over. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Just Lost A Depth Scorer Who Never Got His Chance
Adam Beckmans run in the Islanders organization ended with plenty of AHL production and very little NHL opportunity. The 25-year-old forward was brought in from the Devils in March 2025 and quickly became one of the more productive players at Bridgeport, leading the team in both goals and points last season while trying to work his way into a depth role on Long Island.
Instead, Beckman moved on in free agency after getting only limited NHL experience and never receiving the call-up many around the team thought might come. For an Islanders group that has leaned on organizational depth at various points, losing a player who had shown he could score in the minors but never got his chance is the sort of move that can be easy to overlook now and harder to replace later. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Fans Just Got Hit With A Brutal Anders Lee Twist
For Islanders fans, the offseason picture got a little more complicated when Anders Lee moved on after a long run as one of the faces of the franchise. Drafted by New York and later elevated to captain in 2018, Lee became part of the teams core identity through the stretch that included back-to-back trips to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2020 and 2021. His departure closes a significant chapter for a club that has leaned on his leadership and goal-scoring presence for years.
The wrinkle is that Lee did not simply walk away from New York and fade into the background. He landed with the Utah Mammoth on a three-year deal, giving him a new home while leaving Islanders followers to process what his exit means for the roster and the leadership structure moving forward. It is the kind of move that can linger beyond the transaction itself, especially when it involves a player so closely tied to the teams recent identity. [Read more 🡒]