The New York Islanders will be looking to add this summer, both up front for scoring and on the right side of their defense.
Often, the easiest way to add to the roster in the summer is through the July 1 Free-Agent Frenzy.
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It’s no secret the Islanders could covet the top available players like Alex Tuch and Darren Raddysh, but it’s very rare to land the top guy on the board for any team in the NHL.
Instead, the second wave of players usually is where most of the NHL gets its business done, including the Islanders.
The Islanders have been competitive in the free-agent market the last two years for forwards, most notably with Brock Boeser this past July 1.
Instead, Boeser extended at the very last minute with the Vancouver Canucks.
The Islanders tried to improve their roster, signing Jonathan Drouin to a two-year deal that did not pan out as hoped, ultimately trading him to the St. Louis Blues as part of the Brayden Schenn trade.
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The year before, 2024, the Islanders’ ambitions were hidden in the famed Lou Lamoriello Cone of Silence, but it’s likely they’d have had major interest in the likes of Steven Stamkos, the top UFA.
Instead, he signed with Barry Trotz and the Nashville Predators.
The Islanders then turned around and signed Anthony Duclair to a four-year deal that has not panned out as hoped. They will be looking hard to move the player off the roster this summer.
Both Drouin and Duclair were clear adds to the middle-six of the Islanders, with hopes they could even be a fit on New York’s top line alongside Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal, before the latter returned to center.
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The Islanders need a clear top-line winger, not another stop-gap winger, especially with Victor Eklund looking like a strong bet to be a day-one NHLer next season.
If the Islanders do wish to improve the forward group, the best way to do so this summer could be via trade, with one target being Eklund’s older brother, William.
This year’s forward free agency class behind Tuch is an extremely thin class.
In recent days, the Islanders have been linked with Boston Bruins forward Viktor Arvidsson.
Arvidsson, 33, had a great year in Boston, scoring 25 goals and 54 points in 69 games, skating on Boston’s second line.
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Arvidsson then scored two goals in three playoff games before suffering a season-ending broken rib and punctured lung early in Game 4.
On paper, adding Arvidsson’s 25 goals (a pace of 29.7 goals over a full 82 games) could make sense for the Islanders.
It’s also only the second time in the last six seasons that Arvidsson has scored that many goals. He scored 26 in 2022-23. Then he played only 18 games in 2023-24, dealing with major injuries.
In 2024-25 with the Edmonton Oilers, Arvidsson scored 15 goals and 27 points in 62 games.
Aside from this past season (2025-26) and the 2022-23 season, Arvidsson has been hampered by injuries and a lack of consistent production.
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If that sounds familiar, it’s similar to the way Drouin and Duclair were described before signing with the Islanders.
It’s not a mistake the Islanders can afford to make for a third-straight summer.
