Islanders: 5 Free Agent Signings You Forgot About

Normally, free agency would be starting tomorrow. Today we’ll look back on five free-agent signings that get forgotten about from the Islanders.

The New York Islanders and free agency usually mixes together like oil and water. You can go down the laundry list of free agency periods where there have been big swings and misses and more recently pain from players leaving.

It’s usually not a fun experience. In addition to the names you Iikely remember like Andrew Ladd, Mark Streit, etc. there are also a ton of names that you probably don’t remember at all.

Here are some guys you probably forgot about the Islanders signing, I know I did:

Jan Kovar (2018)

July of 2018 was a rough time for Islanders fans, there’s no denying that. So if you blocked out this signing it’s quite okay. The Isles signed Jan Kovar to a one-year deal on July 9 worth $2 million to come over from the KHL.

He played zero games for the Islanders in the regular season. Not a one. He was waived in October, before the regular season. He played 12 games in the AHL for the Bruins before dipping out to play in the Czech league.

Justin Florek (2015)

On July 2, after having a relatively quiet July 1, the Islanders signed six-players to a two-way, one-year deal. One of them was Justin Florek. Florek would play 76 games for the Sound Tigers putting up 16 points (7 goals, 9 assists).

He did not re-sign with the Islanders after the season and instead went to the Milwaukee Admirals before leaving for the DEL in 2017.

Peter Regin (2013)

This was just seven years ago but I have virtually no recollection of Peter Regin. He signed a one-year deal at $750,000. Regin was brought in for depth and he did just that playing in 44 games for the Islanders with seven points to his name.

Milan Jurcina (2010)

On July 2, the Islanders signed Milan Jurcina to a one-year deal worth $1 million. He ended up playing in 46 games for the Islanders that year and his play yielded him a contract extension in January of 2011 when Garth Snow handed him another one-year deal this time at $1.6 million.

His production dropped off in year two though as he went from 17 points down to 11, this time playing in 65 games. That was Jurcina’s last year in North America, he’s currently still playing in the Czech league at 37 years old.

Yann Danis (2008)

On July 2, 2008, the Isles decided to sign Yann Danis to a one-year $550,000 deal. He had spent the last five years in the AHL with the Hamilton Bulldogs. In 2008-2009, Danis ended up playing 31 games for the Islanders and put up decent numbers on a pitiful team.

He had a .910 save percentage and a 2.86 goals against average. He would leave in free agency signing with the Devils for the 2009-2010 season, for less money. He had one more decent year before falling off in the NHL and becoming a mainstay for AHL teams through the end of his career in 2017.

Want your voice heard? Join the Eyes On Isles team!

Write for us!

How many of these signings did you remember? I know I definitely buried some of these well back Into the memory bank.