The Islanders' Direction Under Mathieu Darche Isn't A Mystery
Islanders fans want answers about the team’s future. Here’s why Mathieu Darche’s vision may not have changed as much as many believe.
New York Islanders fans want to know the direction the team is heading after missing the playoffs for a second straight season. They want to know if a big splash will be made this summer or if it’s going to be a quiet one.
I’ve been asked a lot about the plan, if one even exists.
The plan was to make the playoffs in 2025-26, something that Darche made clear during his introductory press conference.
A 360 Islanders View Of A Franchise Altering Day
ELMONT, NY — Today, the Islanders introduced Mathieu Darche as their new general manager and executive vice president.
Whether you agree or not, Darche believed that the 2024-25 team should have made the playoffs, but injuries to key players like Mathew Barzal certainly hurt their chances.
It’s a sentiment that someone like Jonathan Drouin shared when asked why he signed with the Islanders in the first place.
Now, there’s no question that Darche, a first-time general manager, wasn’t planning on coming in and blowing everything up.
That’s something that wasn’t possible due to the contracts he inherited from Lou Lamoriello.
The biggest move Darche could have made was firing Patrick Roy right away, a move he chose not to make.
Instead, he gave Roy the ability to hire his own staff, something that Lamoriello didn’t offer the Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender.
He also decided, outside of signing Alexander Romanov to an eight-year deal worth $6.25 million annually, that he wanted to make short-term improvements to the roster, hence the Drouin signing, a two-year deal worth $3.5 million annually.
The plan was to see how the season went, with a much greater focus on the prospect pool and the future than ever before.