New York Islanders Sign Devon Toews To Two-Year Deal

TAMPA, FLORIDA - APRIL 09: Drake Caggiula #9 of the North Dakota Fighting Hawks fight for position with Devon Toews #6,Connor Clifton #4 and Michael Garteig #34 of the Quinnipiac Bobcats in the third period during the championship game of the 2016 NCAA Division I Men's Hockey Championships at Amalie Arena on April 9, 2016 in Tampa, Florida.The North Dakota Fighting Hawks defeated the Quinnipiac Bobcats 5-1 to win the national title. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA - APRIL 09: Drake Caggiula #9 of the North Dakota Fighting Hawks fight for position with Devon Toews #6,Connor Clifton #4 and Michael Garteig #34 of the Quinnipiac Bobcats in the third period during the championship game of the 2016 NCAA Division I Men's Hockey Championships at Amalie Arena on April 9, 2016 in Tampa, Florida.The North Dakota Fighting Hawks defeated the Quinnipiac Bobcats 5-1 to win the national title. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

The New York Islanders announced that they locked up promising young restricted free agent defensemen Devon Toews to a two-year one-way deal.

Devon Toews has signed a two-year one-way deal with the New York Islanders. No financial aspects of the deal were announced with the signing.

The contract is the next step in Devon Toews’ trajectory to the NHL. A one-way deal in no way guarantees he’ll play in the NHL, but it signals that the team very much intents to have him play in the big league.

After almost making the team out of training camp last season, it stands to reason with the improvements he made (before being injured) he’ll be on the team in 2018-19.

Next Step

Ever since being drafted in the fourth round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders, Devon Toews has been making steady improvements to his game.

His first season in the AHL saw Toews put up 45 points in 76 games. He was named to the AHL All-Star team and won the AHL’s fastest skater competition.

During the Islanders 2017 training camp, it was seemingly down to Ryan Pulock and Devon Toews for the last spot on the blueline. The team wanted one more look at Toews and brought him back in. The Islanders would give the spot to Pulock, who proved his quality in 2017-18, but Toews was that close.

Toews is coming off his second year with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL. Unfortunately, his 2017-18 season was cut short after requiring surgery to fix an injured shoulder. Before the surgery, Toews had played 30 games with 22 points. Putting him on pace for 56 points.

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Toews has become that full threat defender. He can score. He can skate. He can make a play. He can do it all. At least at the AHL level. With the two-year one-way deal, the Islanders clearly want him to prove it to them he can do the same at the NHL level.