The New York Islanders have announced they’ve signed Emil Heineman to a two-year, $2.2MM contract. The contract terms were first reported by Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports. New York acquired Heineman in a draft day trade alongside the 16th and 17th-overall picks in a deal that delivered top defender Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens. New York used the draft picks to select Victor Eklund and Kashawn Aitcheson.
Heineman played through his rookie season in the NHL this year. He spent the season operating out of a bottom-six winger role, and accumulated 10 goals and 18 points through 62 games. His promotion to the NHL came after just one full season in the minor-leagues. He tallied 15 goals and 29 points in 48 games with the Laval Rocket last season. He also chipped in nine points in 11 AHL games at the tail end of the 2022-23 season, after moving to North America following the end of Sweden’s SHL season.
The Florida Panthers originally drafted Heineman in the second-round of the 2020 NHL Draft. That pick came on the heels of a strong year in Sweden’s junior league, where Heineman managed 26 goals and 41 points in 29 games. He also contributed two points in 11 SHL games that year, then earned a full-time promotion to the pro league in the year after his draft selection. Heineman tallied 13 points in 43 games as an SHL rookie, and worked his way up to 15 points in 35 games two seasons later.
Through his journey in the SHL, Heineman’s rights were first traded to the Calgary Flames in a deal that landed Florida Sam Bennett, then were again moved to the Canadiens in a move that landed Calgary Tyler Toffoli.
Heineman a lofty winger who throws hits with confidence and plays responsibly on both ends of the ice. He ranked fourth on the Canadiens in hits (173) as a rookie last season, and generated at least one shot per game. He’s a strong foundation to build on – and an acquisition that could look shrewd for the Islanders with a few more years of growth.