Emil Heineman makes his feelings known on signing 2-year contract with NY Islanders after being traded by Canadiens

Emil Heineman was traded from the Montreal Canadiens to the New York Islanders this summer. The Islanders signed Heineman to a two-year contract worth $2.2 million. He spoke about the move with Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News in an interview published on Sunday.

Heineman revealed that his agent gave him a heads-up before the deal happened.

"My agent called around five o’clock Swedish time, because there had been some rumors going around," Heineman said. "He just wanted to give me a heads up. I was like, 'Alright.'"

Following the conversation with his agent, Matt Keator, Heineman was checking out New York but tried not to overthink it. When it became official, he said he felt excited for the new opportunity.

"I actually went to a soccer game back home, and during that time, I started checking out New York a little bit—where everything is," Heineman said. "But then I had to remind myself, 'Hey, it hasn’t happened yet,' so I calmed down."

Heineman got traded to the Isles on the first day of the 2025 NHL draft. The Islanders acquired him, the 16th and 17th picks from the Habs in the Noah Dobson move.

"When they finally called, I was like, 'Alright, here we go.' I saw it on Twitter too, so I kind of knew it was coming," Heineman said. "But once it happened, I was really excited. It’s a new adventure for me and my girlfriend, so we’re both looking forward to it."

Emil Heineman happy with his performance

In January, Emil Heineman was hit by a car in Salt Lake City. The 23-year-old Canadiens forward missed three to four weeks due to an upper-body injury. However, he avoided any serious damage. He played 62 games for the Habs and scored 10 goals and 18 points.

"Obviously, it was a tough break in the middle [of the season due to injury] but overall I was really proud of what I brought last year and really learned how to play in the NHL," Heineman said, via NHL.com. "I learned how to stay in the league."

Before reaching the NHL, he played with Laval in the AHL. He recorded 38 points in 59 games during parts of two seasons there. Heineman was originally drafted by the Florida Panthers in 2020.