When the Islanders signed Jonathan Drouin to a two-year, $4 million AAV deal on July 1, 2025, it was a move aimed at shoring up their middle six and adding a veteran playmaker with power play upside. Drouin brought a versatile skill set - someone who could play the wing or slide into the middle when needed - and his familiarity with Bo Horvat from their Canadian World Juniors days made the fit look even more promising on paper.
And to start the season, it looked like the gamble was paying off. Drouin was slotted next to Horvat and produced 14 points (3 goals, 11 assists) in his first 17 games in blue and orange. He was moving the puck well, contributing on the man advantage, and playing with the confidence of someone who had found a fresh start.
But since mid-November, the wheels have come off a bit. Drouin has gone goalless and has just six assists to show for his last several weeks of play, despite maintaining steady middle-six usage and power play time.
His shooting percentage has cratered to 4.8% - the worst of his career - and among all NHL forwards with at least 430 minutes logged this season, that ranks 10th worst league-wide. That’s not just a cold streak; that’s a prolonged slump.
The Islanders, meanwhile, have had to adapt. With Kyle Palmieri lost for the season, GM Mathieu Darche went out and acquired veteran winger Ondrej Palat from the Devils to help fill the gap. Drouin, who was brought in to be part of the solution, now finds himself skating in place.
In the five games leading up to the Olympic break, Drouin posted a -4 rating with zero points, even as the Islanders went 4-1. That’s a tough stat line to carry when your team is winning - it suggests you’re not just failing to contribute, but potentially getting caved in during your shifts.
It’s clear that the Drouin-Islanders marriage hasn’t quite lived up to expectations so far. Both head coach Patrick Roy and Drouin himself seem to understand that the fit hasn’t been seamless. And yet, Roy hasn’t scratched Drouin once this season, even as fellow French-Canadian winger Anthony Duclair - who has nine more goals in similar ice time - has been scratched four times.
Roy has pointed to Drouin’s defensive reliability as a reason to keep him in the lineup, often trusting him in key moments over more offensively productive players. It’s a nod to the subtle parts of Drouin’s game that don’t show up on the scoresheet, but it also highlights the delicate balancing act Roy is trying to manage with his roster.
Still, the ice time tells a story. In two of the three games before the break, Drouin played under 15 minutes - a noticeable dip from the 18:39 he averaged back in November. And with young forward Cal Ritchie seizing more top-six minutes and making the most of them, Drouin’s role is only getting more crowded.
So where does this leave the Islanders and Drouin? He’s 30 years old, carries a $4 million cap hit next season, and has a 16-team no-trade list.
But Darche knows the player well from their shared time in Tampa Bay, and if there’s a market for a veteran forward with some playoff experience and positional flexibility, a trade isn’t out of the question. That said, there’s no indication the Islanders are rushing to move him before the March 6 trade deadline.
Internally, there’s still belief in Drouin. The front office values his experience, and his ability to slot up and down the lineup gives Roy some options.
But the clock is ticking. If Drouin is one of the Isles’ best 12 forwards coming out of the Olympic break, he’ll be in the lineup and given a chance to turn things around.
If not, Darche may look to recoup value in a veteran-for-veteran swap.
What’s clear is that Darche isn’t afraid to act when he sees a need. He’s already made bold moves this season - firing goalie coach Piero Greco just six games in, and pulling off the Soucy and Palat trades in quick succession. If he decides Drouin no longer fits the Islanders’ playoff push, he won’t hesitate to make a move.
For now, both the player and the team have a little over two weeks to reassess. Whether that leads to a resurgence or a parting of ways remains to be seen. But one way or another, the next stretch will be telling for Jonathan Drouin’s future on Long Island.