Islanders Set to Hire Mathieu Darche: What Comes Next

The New York Islanders finally found and got their guy. The Islanders will name Mathieu Darche the next general manager of the franchise.

Darche’s reputation precedes him. A key part of two Stanley Cup victories as Assistant General Manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Darche takes over the Islanders at a massive point in franchise history. Attendance dipped by the end of last season. The team missed the playoffs for the second time in four years.

The Islanders hold the first overall pick. They have a new man in charge, and they’ll build from here. There’s a clear need for change. A retool on the fly. Islanders management picks the fresh face to be the guy to do it.

The search itself lasted over a month. The Islanders failed to woo Ken Holland, then it became a mighty close race between Marc Bergevin and Darche. Entering this week, many felt Bergevin had a slight edge, but that changed as the week went on. The Islanders go with the fresh face desperately wanted from their fan base.

Next Steps:

The next step in this process will be Darche deciding on Patrick Roy’s fate. As of now, it’d be a surprise if Roy is let go. More likely, Roy and his assistant Benoit Desrosiers will be retained. The fates of John MacLean and Tommy Albelin, two Lou Lamoriello hires, are murky at best.

Simultaneously, Darche will be deciding on Rick Kowalsky (Bridgeport Head Coach) and Chris Lamoriello, currently an Assistant General Manager and Bridgeport’s GM. Neither is expected to return, but Darche will have the final say.

The NHL Draft Combine starts next weekend. Darche needs to hit the ground running. He’s aware of the top prospects; after all, he played a huge role in scouting and drafting with Tampa Bay.

The path forward begins today. We’re still awaiting the formal announcement from the New York Islanders, but it will be coming down this afternoon.