The New York Islanders have signed forward Matthew Highmore, along with defensemen Ethan Bear and Cole McWard, to one-year, two-way (NHL/AHL) contracts.
Highmore, 29, has 35 points (14 goals and 21 assists) in 187 NHL games with the Ottawa Senators, St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks, and Chicago Blackhawks. He recorded six points (two goals and four assists) in 41 games with the Senators last season and added 10 points (two goals and eight assists) in 23 games with Ottawa’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Belleville Senators, where he served as an alternate captain.
A native of Halifax, NS, Highmore has 166 points (61 goals, 105 assists) in 231 career AHL games with the Senators, Springfield Thunderbirds, and Rockford IceHogs. He is a two-time AHL All-Star (2018, 2023) and posted career-highs in goals (19), assists (42), and points (61) in 68 games with Springfield in 2022-23.
Prior to turning pro, Highmore scored 247 points (90 goals, 157 assists) in 289 games with the Saint John Sea Dogs of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He won the 2017 QMJHL Championship alongside Islanders’ forward Julien Gauthier.
Bear, 28, has 67 points (17 goals and 50 assists) in 275 NHL games with the Washington Capitals, Vancouver Canucks, Carolina Hurricanes, and Edmonton Oilers. He registered four points (one goal and three assists) in 24 games with the Capitals last season, and recorded 46 points (10 goals and 36 assists) and a +33 rating in 62 games with Washington’s AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears.
The Regina, SK native led all Bears’ players in points and assists last season, finished second in the AHL in plus-minus, and represented Hershey at the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic. He was also named to the AHL’s Second All-Star Team. Bear has 95 points (22 goals and 73 assists) in 151 career AHL games with Hershey and the Bakersfield Condors.
Prior to turning pro, Bear recorded 192 points (66 goals and 126 assists) in 264 games with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League (WHL). He helped Seattle capture the 2017 WHL Championship alongside Islanders forward Matthew Barzal and was named the Bill Hunter Trophy winner as the WHL’s Top Defensemen. On the international stage, Bear won the Gold Medal with Team Canada at the 2023 World Championship.
McWard, 24, won the 2025 Calder Cup Championship with the Abbotsford Canucks last season, recording 26 points (six goals and 20 assists) in 67 AHL regular-season games and two points (one goal and one assist) in 12 playoff contests. He has 43 points (10 goals and 33 assists) in 124 career AHL games with Abbotsford in addition to one goal in six NHL games with the Vancouver Canucks.
A native of Fenton, MO, McWard spent two seasons at Ohio State University from 2021-23, recording 37 points (13 goals and 24 assists) in 75 games. He also played parts of four seasons with the Tri-City Storm of the United States Hockey League (USHL) from 2018-21, collecting 57 points (23 goals and 24 assists) in 149 games. McWard served as team captain during the 2020-21 season.
The Islanders also signed forwards Chris Terry, Max Dorrington, Cam Berg, Ross Mitton and Hunter Drew, as well as defenseman Luke Rowe, to one-year AHL contracts.
Terry, 36, led the Islanders with 66 points (19 goals and 47 assists) in 68 games last season. He became Bridgeport’s all-time leader in points (205) and assists (129) this past April, and also holds the franchise record for most points (78) and assists (51) in a single season, which he collected in 67 games while serving as an alternate captain in 2022-23. During his first season with the Islanders in 2021-22, Terry recorded a team-leading 30 goals, 61 points, and 10 power-play goals. He is a four-time 30-goal scorer in the AHL.
Terry enters the 2025-26 season ranked 11th all-time in AHL points (807), 12th in goals (330), 17th in assists (477), and 20th in games played (883). He is a five-time AHL All-Star and won the John B. Sollenberger Trophy as the AHL’s leading scorer in 2017-18 with the Laval Rocket (71 points).
The Brampton, ON native has also recorded 38 points (22 goals and 16 assists) in 152 NHL games with the Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens (2012-17). He was selected by Carolina in the fifth round (132nd overall) of the 2007 NHL Draft.
Dorrington, 23, recorded one assist in seven games on an amateur tryout agreement (ATO) with Bridgeport last season. He made his professional debut on Mar. 23 and logged his first point on Apr. 13, both against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Prior to turning pro, Dorrington played five seasons of college hockey from 2020-25, setting career highs in goals (12), assists (10), points (22) and games played (38) with Sacred Heart University in 2024-25. He ranked fifth on the Pioneers in scoring and was tied for fourth in goals.
A native of North Reading, MA, Dorrington spent each of the previous four seasons with St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY, recording 34 points (17 goals and 17 assists) in 117 games. He was a three-time ECAC All-Academic Team honoree at St. Lawrence.
Berg, 23, scored two goals in three games on an ATO with Bridgeport last season. He scored on the power play in his pro debut on Apr. 13 and added another goal on Apr. 19 at Providence. Prior to turning pro, Berg played two seasons at the University of North Dakota, recording 22 points (12 goals and 10 assists) in 26 games during his senior campaign.
The West Fargo, ND native set collegiate career highs in goals (20), assists (17), points (37) and games played (40) as a junior at North Dakota in 2023-24. He ranked second on the Fighting Hawks in goals and third in points. Berg had 47 points (18 goals, 29 assists) in 74 games during his first two college seasons at the University of Nebraska-Omaha from 2021-2023. He was selected by the New York Islanders in the fourth round (125th overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft.
Mitton, 24, scored a goal in his first and only professional game on Apr. 13, skating with Bridgeport on an ATO. Prior to joining the Islanders, he had 11 points (four goals and seven assists) in 32 games with the University of Maine during his fifth and final collegiate season in 2024-25. He also spent four seasons at Colgate University, recording 72 points (26 goals and 46 assists) in 130 games with the Raiders. Mitton posted career highs in goals (11), assists (19), and points (30) during his senior season at Colgate in 2023-24.
A native of Copiague Harbor, NY, Mitton played 132 games in the United States Hockey League (USHL) between the Fargo Force, Lincoln Stars, and Omaha Lancers from 2017-20. He helped Fargo win the 2017 USHL Clark Cup championship.
Drew, 26, scored 29 points (15 goals and 14 assists) in 58 games with the Tucson Roadrunners last season. He has 115 points (55 goals and 60 assists) in 281 career AHL games with the Roadrunners, Rockford IceHogs, and San Diego Gulls. Drew also played two NHL games with the Anaheim Ducks in 2021-22 and five ECHL games with the Tulsa Oilers in 2019-20.
The Kingston, ON native spent three seasons in the QMJHL prior to turning pro. He recorded 92 points (24 goals and 68 assists) in 167 games with the Charlottetown Islanders from 2016-19. Drew was selected by Anaheim in the sixth round (178th overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft.
Rowe, 26, collected 10 points (three goals and seven assists) in 47 games with the Ontario Reign as a rookie last season. He debuted with the Reign on an ATO near the end of the 2023-24 season, recording one goal and one assist in five contests.
Prior to turning pro, the Succasunna, NJ native played five seasons at the Air Force Academy where he was a three-time captain from 2021-24. Rowe had 74 points (21 goals, 53 assists) in 125 career games at Air Force and was a Hobey Baker Award nominee as the NCAA’s top collegiate player in 2023-24.
