Islanders Acquire Harvard Defense Prospect Ryan Healey
The low-cost trade gives New York a short window to sign him before an August 15 rights deadline with a development-camp evaluation planned.
Overview
- The Islanders obtained Ryan Healey’s NHL signing rights from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for future considerations, a common low-risk move to add prospect depth.
- New York must sign Healey to an entry-level contract by August 15 or he becomes an unrestricted free agent and the team loses his rights.
- Healey is a 22-year-old left-shot defenseman who was selected in the 2022 NHL Draft and completed four seasons at Harvard with 19 goals and 36 assists in 120 NCAA games.
- The Islanders plan to bring Healey to development camp to assess him and, if they offer a contract, he is expected to begin his pro career with the AHL’s Hamilton to continue his development.
- For Healey the move starts the transition from college to pro hockey and for the Islanders it creates a near-term decision point that could add a cost-effective defensive option to their pipeline.