The New York Islanders are keeping around a collegiate free agent signee for a few more years. According to a team announcement, the Islanders have signed forward Joey Larson to a two-year, two-way contract through the 2027-28 season.
Larson, 25, grew up in the Metro Detroit area, playing his amateur hockey at the Little Caesars and Compuware travel programs before playing high school hockey at Hartland High. After a brief stint in the British Columbia Hockey League, Larson returned to the United States to play in the USHL for the Lincoln Stars and Muskegon Lumberjacks.
Eventually, Larson committed to Northern Michigan University for his collegiate career. During his lone season with the Wildcats, he had a successful campaign, scoring 13 goals and totaling 27 points in 36 games throughout his freshman year. His freshman season caught the attention of another in-state collegiate institution, as Larson transferred to Michigan State University to continue his NCAA career.
During his two years with the Spartans, he had a successful stint, finishing with 26 goals and 56 points in 75 games, achieving a +13 rating. Larson signed his entry-level contract with the Islanders after the 2024-25 season.
Unfortunately, his contributions as a secondary scorer in East Lansing haven’t translated to the professional landscape. Throughout his year and a half in the Islanders organization, Larson has registered 19 goals and 31 points in 69 games. Becoming more of a tertiary contributor in the AHL, it’s unlikely that Larson will ever earn his way to the NHL level unless he takes a huge leap forward in his developmental path.