Islanders Strike Fast In Free Agency, Lock Up Goaltender Greiss, Defenseman Hickey

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The Islanders got busy during the opening minutes of the free agency signing period on Wednesday.

The team announced the signings of defenseman Thomas Hickey and backup goaltender Thomas Greiss, in addition to Russian forward Kirill Petrov's entry level contract becoming official.

Claimed off waivers in January of 2013, Hickey was rewarded with a three-year, $6.6 million contract on Wednesday. The former No. 4 overall pick of the Los Angeles Kings in the 2007 draft has quietly become a solid bottom-pairing blueliner for New York, registering 48 points in 202 games over the last three seasons.

The 26-year-old native of Calgary, Alberta, who averaged nearly 19 minutes of ice time per game last season, figures to challenge for top-four minutes this fall.

Greiss received a two-year, $3 million deal to be the primary backup to starting goalie Jaroslav Halak.

Entering his seventh NHL season, Greiss, 29, spent the 2014-15 season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, going 9-6-3 with a 2.59 goals-against average and .908 save percentage as the backup to Marc-Andre Fleury.

For his career, the 6-foot-1, 220-pound German netminder is 36-30-11 with a 2.47 GAA and .913 save percentage in 89 appearances, including 69 starts. He broke into the NHL in 2007 with the San Jose Sharks.

Greiss will be replacing Michal Neuvirth, who the Islanders acquired at last season's trade deadline. Neuvirth signed a two-year deal with the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday.

Projected as a bottom-six forward, Petrov, 25, is a 6-3, 220-pound winger who never put up more than 16 goals and 29 points in a season since starting to play full-time in Russia in 2010-11.

However, his skill set suggests he could be a key contributor if given the right linemates.

The moves came a day after the Islanders signed young power forward Anders Lee to a four-year, $15 million contract.