Islanders sign Maccelli, Vanecek, Kessel to one-year contracts
The New York Islanders have signed forward Matias Maccelli and goaltender Vitek Vanecek to one-year contracts as unrestricted free agents, according to multiple reports.
Maccelli, 25, spent the 2025-26 season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, collecting 14 goals and 39 points in 71 games. The 5’11” winger’s new contract with the Islanders reportedly carries a $2.25 million NHL cap hit.
Vanecek, 30, appeared in 22 games with the Utah Mammoth in the 2025-26 season, going 5-13-3 with one shutout and an .883 save percentage. The 6’2″ goaltender will earn $1 million for the 2026-27 season with the Islanders.
Additionally, the Islanders also signed 26-year-old former St. Louis Blues defenseman Matt Kessel to a one-year, $850,000 contract. PuckPedia shared the details of the signings on Wednesday afternoon.
The #NYI signed 25 y/o F Matias Maccelli to a 1 year $2.25M cap hit contract deal is all salary, will be RFA w arb upon expiry Rep'd by Ian Pulver @WillSportsGroup puckpedia.com/player/matias-…
The #NYI have signed 30 y/o G Vitek Vanecek to a 1 year $1M cap hit contract Rep'd by Gerry Johannson @GJTSC puckpedia.com/player/vitek-v…
A fourth-round pick (No. 98 overall) of the Arizona Coyotes in the 2019 NHL Draft, Maccelli debuted with the club in the 2021-22 season and finished among the NHL’s rookie scoring leaders the following year, collecting 11 goals and 49 points in 64 games. He spent three seasons in Arizona and remained with the club for its move to Utah in 2024-25, although he experienced a steep decline in offensive production that season.
The newly renamed Utah Mammoth traded Maccelli to the Maple Leafs in the summer of 2025. Maccelli experienced a modest rebound in the 2025-26 but was an imperfect fit under head coach Craig Berube, and the club opted not to tender him a qualifying offer as a pending RFA, allowing the Islanders to add him as a free agent.
Vanecek began his North American career as a highly-touted prospect in the Washington Capitals system, having been drafted by the club in the second round (No. 39 overall) in 2014. He spent parts of two NHL seasons in Washington before being traded to the New Jersey Devils in 2022; from there, he had a brief stint with the San Jose Sharks before winning the Stanley Cup as Sergei Bobrovsky’s backup with the Florida Panthers in 2025. He signed with the Mammoth as a free agent ahead of the 2025-26 season.
Through 295 career NHL games over parts of five seasons with Arizona, Utah, and Toronto, Maccelli has collected 51 goals and 169 points. Vanecek has gone 101-69-24 with 11 shutouts and a .900 save percentage across 210 career games with Washington, New Jersey, San Jose, Florida, and Utah. Kessel has appeared in 99 career NHL games with the Blues, recording three goals and 13 points.