The New York Islanders locked up two of their top-defensive prospects on two multi-year deals.
The New York Islanders have locked up their most valuable defensive prospect, Devon Toews, to a two-year contract extension.Though the official Islanders press release doesn’t specify the term of the contract, it’s believed to be a one-way deal for the restricted free agent, whose progress through his 106 AHL games would have likely earned him his first NHL call-up last season if he didn’t have his season cut short.
Around January, the Islanders’ defense was in trouble. They had lost Calvin de Haan (now with the Carolina Hurricanes) to a season-ending injury and had lost Johnny Boychuk for what would turn out to be two months.
All signs pointed to the team calling-up Toews from Bridgeport, but he was dealing with a shoulder injury of his own (which required season-ending surgery).
Toews, the Islanders’ fourth-round pick in 2014 (108th overall) skyrocketed up the Islanders defensive depth chart thanks to a fantastic 2016-17 AHL season which saw him score 45 points as a rookie.
The now 24-year-old was named to the AHL’s All-Rookie team at the conclusion of the 2016-17 season and represented the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at the 2017 All-Star classic where he also won the fastest skater competition.
The Islanders also announced the re-signing of Kyle Burroughs to a two-year, two-way contract.
Over the last three seasons with the Sound Tigers, the right-handed defensive prospect participated in 177 games, scoring 60 points and maintaining a plus-15 career plus/minus rating.
In fact, after some struggles in the AHL, his first season with 10 points and a minus-11 rating, Burroughs followed up the 2016-17 season with a plus-10 rating, and a plus-16 this past season.
The Islanders’ seventh-round pick in 2013 (196th overall) led the Sound Tigers in plus/minus in 2017-18 and finished third in points by a defenseman.
At 23-year-old, Burroughs has begun to find his game, scoring 24 points during the 2016-17 campaign and 25 last year.