Islanders Lock In Ethan Bear On One-Year Deal

The Islanders are keeping Ethan Bear in the fold, and this one has the feel of a low-risk front-office move that matters more than it looks on paper. New York is betting on a defender who knows how to survive the grind and can still give a lineup some needed depth when the games get heavy. The two-way wrinkle tells you the club still wants flexibility, but it also shows Bear has a real path to carving out a role.