Heineman on Montreal Return, Overcoming Last Season’s Injury

For Emil Heineman, emotions may be a little heightened when he returns to Montreal on Thursday, skating against his former team for the first time.

“Montreal was where I played my first NHL game, it was my first NHL season, obviously it’s going to be special,” Heineman said. “It’s been a game I’ve been looking forward to all year. I know a lot of people from there, it’s going to be fun to get back into that building. It’ll be special for sure.”

Heineman spent two-and-a-half seasons in Montreal’s organization, playing 59 games in AHL Laval before sticking with Montreal full time in 2024-25. His rookie year was off to a good start, with 17 points and 101 hits in 41 games. That momentum came to a screeching halt when he was struck by a car as a pedestrian – with the right of way – in Utah before the Canadiens took on the Mammoth on Jan. 14, 2025.

“It was tough, it was a weird situation and all,” Heineman said. “Thinking back of it, I’m happy I’m here today. It’s scary to think of what could have happened. I was lucky to get back in the game.”

A wrist injury kept Heineman out for 20 games, which halted the momentum from the first half of the year. The nature of the incident had a traumatic impact. Heineman said he was on edge crossing the street in the following months, but he felt more comfortable as more time passed.

“At that point after, when I was walking across the street, my head was on a swivel all the time,” Heineman said. “It was worse last year for sure. Here on Long Island, it’s way easier because the roads are a little bit wider.”

He returned to action on Feb. 22 on the road against Ottawa, but faced physical and mental hurdles upon playing again. Heineman said his stickhandling was impaired, and he needed a brace on his wrist as he worked his way back.

Despite the setback, Heineman kept grinding and contributing to the team, though he struggled to produce offensively. In the final 21 games of the regular season, he recorded one assist. The physical element of his game was consistent, as he recorded 72 hits over that span.

“I was in a groove before the accident and when I came back, I didn’t score too much at the end of the year,” Heineman said. “The injury set me back a little bit. I just wanted to help the team in any way I could. I think I played solid overall, even though I didn’t feel as comfortable as I did before.”

“I learned a lot from that, coming back from an injury like that,” he added.

After Heineman and the Canadiens were eliminated in five games by the Washington Capitals in the first round of the playoffs, Heineman was acquired by the Islanders on the night of the NHL Draft.

“Right away, when I found out I was going to live in New York I was really excited, as well as my girlfriend,” Heineman said. “Right away we were like, hell yeah, this is going to be awesome.”

The full trade was Heineman and Montreal’s two first-round picks (16^th and 17^th overall, which materialized into Victor Eklund and Kashawn Aitcheson, respectively) in exchange for Noah Dobson. While the picks initially made headlines, Isles GM and EVP Mathieu Darche made it clear that Heineman was an important piece of the deal.

“They made sure to tell me that, my agent said they really wanted me,” Heineman said. “It meant a lot. They made me feel really excited to come here and take a new step and a bigger role.”

Over the offseason, Heineman switched up his training and found a new strength coach to work on the details. The winger knew he was more of an impact player than what his 10-goal, 18-point rookie year showed. He was determined to prove himself on a new team with the accident in the rearview mirror.

“During the summer I was like, ‘I’m better than that,’” Heineman said. “I was really excited to come here and show myself.”

Heineman quickly rose to the challenge and earned the trust of the coaching staff early into his tenure with the Islanders. He’s consistently playing as a top-six winger, spending 461:33 TOI at five-on-five with Bo Horvat this season. He plays in all situations, as he logged 38:59 TOI shorthanded and his 104:42 of power-play time is good for fifth on the team. He’s also utilized in the shootout – finding the back of the net twice through four opportunities this season.

“It’s easy for me to trust him,” Head Coach Patrick Roy said. “Need him on the PK, he’ll adjust. Same thing with the power play. I know he will adjust and make the play on breakouts or in defensive situations. The first thing you want is to feel comfortable with a player, that you can trust him, and that’s exactly how I feel about him. He’s been outstanding all year.”

Heineman established a career-high 15 goals and 23 points through his first 58 games with the Islanders, while leading the team with 184 hits, which ranks eighth in the NHL.

“He added some depth we needed some speed and size, and obviously he’s got a goal scoring touch,” Mathew Barzal said. “One thing that goes underrated is his physical play. He’s leading our team in hits, he’s one of the top hitters in the league. That’s a dangerous player. He brings a lot.”

Upon coming to Long Island last September, his teammates got a good impression of him off the bat. He fit into the culture of the locker room right away.

“He showed up at camp ready to go,” Captain Anders Lee said. “His style is very reflective of how we want to play, given the identity of this team. Guys like that do the hard work with great skill and effort.”

Heineman looks back on his rookie season with gratitude – embracing the lessons and challenges from Montreal – and using it as a foundation for a solid first year with the Islanders as he looks ahead to evolving in his NHL career.

“I’ve grown as a player and as a person since being here,” Heineman said. “Every single day I’m enjoying it. It’s amazing to have this chance, especially after getting through what happened last year. I’m grateful for sure.”