Former NY Islanders prospect and OHL scoring champ Matthew Maggio signs in KHL

Former New York Islanders prospect Matthew Maggio is taking the next step of his career overseas.

The 23-year-old forward has signed with Salavat Yulaev of the KHL after spending more than three seasons with the Bridgeport Islanders in the American Hockey League.

Maggio was selected by the Islanders in the fifth round of the 2022 NHL Draft and quickly became a fan favorite in Bridgeport, where he was one of the more recognizable players during a difficult stretch for the organization’s AHL affiliate.

Across 187 games with Bridgeport, Maggio recorded 35 goals and 46 assists for 81 points.

His best professional season came in 2025-26, when he finished with 12 goals and 21 assists in 63 games. While the offensive production was solid, Maggio never quite developed into the consistent scoring threat the Islanders had hoped for when they drafted him.

That promise was built on a dominant finish to his junior career.

After going undrafted in his first year of eligibility, Maggio broke out with the Windsor Spitfires, recording 38 goals and 85 points before taking another major step the following season.

He erupted for 54 goals and 111 points in 66 games during his final OHL campaign, earning the Red Tilson Trophy as the league’s Most Outstanding Player. That performance helped turn Maggio into one of the more intriguing later-round selections in the Islanders’ 2022 draft class.

But the production did not fully translate once he reached the professional level.

Maggio entered the offseason as an expiring restricted free agent, but the Islanders elected not to tender him a qualifying offer, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent. Now, he will look to rediscover the offensive touch that once made him one of junior hockey’s most productive players.

For Maggio, the move to the KHL represents both a fresh start and another opportunity to prove his scoring ability can translate at the professional level.

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