Welcome to LWOS Hockey’s summer series. After the historic 2016 NHL Free Agency period, it’s a good time to look at the best free agent signing in the history of all 30 NHL franchises. Up next: The all-time best New York Islanders free agent signing.
Make sure to check out the previous articles in our 2016 summer series here.
The All-Time Best New York Islanders Free Agent Signing
2009 – LW Matt Moulson: One year, $575,000
The Player
Hailing from Mississauga, Ontario, Matt Moulson played for many different teams across the A, double-A, and triple-A levels before eventually landing a spot with the Guelph Dominators of the OHA. He spent the 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons with the Dominators, putting up a head-turning 102 points across 42 games in his second year.
This level of production caught the attention of Cornell University, where he would spend the next four years. During his time playing for Cornell, Moulson was responsible for 138 points in 134 games. The Pittsburgh Penguins drafted him 263rd overall in the 2003 Entry Draft, but he decided to finish his degree at Cornell, graduating in 2006.
Following his graduation, Moulson signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Kings on September 1st, 2006. He spent the majority of his two years with the organization playing for the Manchester Monarchs, the Kings’ AHL affiliate. While in Manchester, he averaged 53 points per season and had a positive plus-minus each of his three seasons there. The NHL, however, proved to be a different matter entirely. The 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons saw him called up only 29 times, during which he contributed a mere 11 points. The Kings decided not to renew his contact, and in the summer of 2009, Moulson found himself a free agent.
The Team
The decade prior to Moulson’s arrival had seen the Islanders fall into a bit of a rough patch. After dominating the early 1980’s to the tune of four Stanley Cups in as many years, the franchise had found itself coming up short every year since 1983. They drove deep into the playoffs many years afterward, but never managed to return to the glory of their previous campaigns.
While they stayed competitive throughout the 80’s, the next two decades would prove to be quite the drought for the Islanders. With few true stars left on the team, the early 1990’s became a rebuilding period that saw the remaining stars traded away for fresh talent. In addition to these blockbuster trades, the team ownership replaced long-time manager Bill Torrey with his assistant Don Maloney following his failure to make the playoffs in the 1991-92 season.
The following season would see the Islanders drive deep into the playoffs yet again, beating the heavily favored Pittsburgh Penguins before losing to the Montreal Canadiens in the Wales Conference Finals. This playoff drive, proclaimed as a miracle by local papers, would prove to be an isolated ray of hope in what would become a dismal decade for the franchise. With legendary coach Al Arbour‘s retirement following a first-round sweep by the Rangers in 1994, the Islanders failed to make the playoffs for the remainder of the decade, despite management and ownership changes.
After being sold yet again in 2000, the franchise began a gradual upswing, making its return to the playoffs in 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2007. After yet another coaching change, however, they finished the 2008-09 season dead last in the NHL. The Islanders were in need of a rebuild entering the 2009 season, and Matt Moulson would find himself a part of it.
The Deal and Its Result
After being released by the Kings in the summer of 2009, Moulson signed a one-year, $575,000 contract with the Islanders on July 6. At the age of 26, he surprised everyone by leading the preseason in scoring. He not only made the senior team straight out of camp, but was given a key role. This impressive scoring streak continued well into the season, and by the end of it he had contributed 30 goals and 18 assists alongside rookie line mate John Tavares. Despite this contribution, the team finished 26th in the league, drafting Nino Niederreiter and Brock Nelson as the rebuild continued.
After signing a one-year, $2.45 million extension in the summer of 2010, Moulson returned to the Islanders lineup. He again found himself lining up next to Tavares. The 2010-11 season saw him recreate and improve upon the previous season’s form. Moulson picked up 53 points from 31 goals and 22 assists. Yet again, however, the team finished near the bottom of the league, picking up Michael Grabner in the process.
The 2011-12 season served as the breakout year for Tavares, and Moulson benefitted greatly from his scoring outburst. While Tavares recorded 81 points and earned an All-Star call-up, Moulson continued to improve offensively. By the end of the season, he had contributed career-high totals of 36 goals, 33 assists, and 69 points. Additionally, he became the first Islander since Ziggy Palffy to record three consecutive 30-goal seasons. Moulson was named a finalist for the Lady Byng Trophy. Continuing the theme of the previous years, however, the team finished 27th in the league and drafted defenseman Griffin Reinhart in the subsequent draft.
A New Contract and A Trade
Following a three-year, $9.45 million extension in January of 2011, Moulson remained an important contributor to the Islanders’ offense through the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. In 47 games played, he contributed 44 points in the form of 15 goals and 29 assists. Additionally, he was named a finalist for the Lady Byng Trophy for the second year in a row. On the back of a late-season unbeaten streak, the Islanders returned to the playoffs for the first time in six years. Unfortunately they would fall to the Penguins in the first round. In these six playoff games, Moulson added three points and ten penalty minutes.
The 2013-14 season served as a time of change for the Islanders. They named Tavares the captain on September 10, and in the spirit of rebuilding, traded Moulson to the Buffalo Sabres for Thomas Vanek on October 27. He was then traded to the Minnesota Wild in March of 2014 before returning to Buffalo that summer. The Islanders would miss the playoffs that year.
Moulson’s Legacy
Though his time in New York was short, Matt Moulson’s story remains one of the more astonishing in recent NHL history. After playing a mere 29 games in the NHL, he came to the Islanders as a free agent on a one year contract near league minimum and surprised the hockey world. At the age of 26, he became a consistent key element in the franchise’s offense. He was a strong complement to John Tavares, the face of the franchise. Before his trade to the Sabres, Moulson played in every single game for four and a half seasons. He also helped lead them to their first playoff berth in six years.
In 304 games played with the Islanders, he racked up 118 goals, 105 assists, 223 points. He also had two nominations for the Lady Byng Trophy. His chemistry with John Tavares aided in his development, and both players benefitted greatly from it. Although he was never involved in winning a playoff series, Moulson was a fan favorite because of his hard work, consistent ice time, and impressive scoring. With a bright future lying ahead of the franchise, fans of the Islanders can look back and see that the signing Matt Moulson was a once-in-a-lifetime deal that yielded unlikely numbers and aided the development of their star captain. For these reasons, Matt Moulson remains the best free agent signing in Islanders history.
Author’s Note: Although the final decision came down to Matt Moulson, the choice between Moulson and goaltender Chico Resch was difficult to make.
