Thoughts on Darche’s Successful July 1 & Very Dangerous What If

Well, that was certainly one of the many July 1’s in NHL History. While far from the most exciting, there were plenty of things that got done yesterday. While they won’t be featured in many places, I’d argue the New York Islanders are one of the biggest winners of free agency yesterday.

Not only because they signed Jonathan Drouin to an excellent value deal, but for the things they didn’t do. They did not splurge excessively, nor did they set themselves up for future problems by doling out long-term deals in a weaker free agency. There was also one other crisis averted, only seen below the surface.

The Disaster Averted, a Scary What-If:

Let’s take a trip back to early May. Then, the Islanders had just dismissed Lou Lamoriello, and ownership did not disguise their desire to bring in an experienced executive.

Immediately, one name shot to the top of the list: Ken Holland. Holland, 69, instead rejected the Islanders and opted to take the reins of the Los Angeles Kings.

Immediately, his first major trade was to dump the promising, young Jordan Spence for a pair of mid-round draft picks. Then July 1 came. The Kings, needing to shake things up just a bit so they can potentially beat Edmonton and Vegas in the spring, attempted to do so.

Holland signed some major deals. He added depth forwards in Corey Perry and Joel Armia, along with backup Anton Forsberg.

Then, Holland lost the plot entirely.

Holland inexplicably gave defenseman Cody Ceci (four years, $4.5 million AAV) and defenseman Brian Dumoulin (three years, $4 million AAV).

The entire idea of moving Spence was to create more opportunity for Brandt Clarke. Instead, he’s once again blocked, and it’s by Ceci. Ceci’s a solid veteran, but his actual on-ice skills are not exactly that amazing. Let alone at a whopper $4.5 million cap hit. Rising cap or not, it’s an instantly regrettable day one contract, as is the Dumoulin contract. Dumoulin plays an incredibly similar game to Joel Edmundson, already on the Kings.

Disaster Averted:

Make no mistake, that could’ve been the Islanders. Holland is desperately trying to keep the Kings competitive, but he may have just made them significantly worse and older. The older, in particular, is the problem.

Instead of focusing on the youth in the organization and ensuring opportunities are there, Holland slammed the door shut on the youth and opened it wide for the veterans, bringing LA’s competitive window even closer to shutting.

That’s where the Islanders could have gone. While there’s no arguing the Islanders could still compete with their core, Islanders’ GM Mathieu Darche instead opted to keep the window open, while not coming close to mortgaging the future.

Signing Drouin to a two-year deal is perfect. Not only can it help the team win now, but it can also be easily flipped if that becomes necessary. It does not permanently lock up a roster spot for multiple years when there’s youth on the way.

On July 1, 2027, the following Islander forwards will be under contract: Mathew Barzal, Bo Horvat, Calum Ritchie, Anthony Duclair, and Pierre Engvall.

That’s the list. That, right there, is how you set up for a retool. No major long-term commitments, except to core guys. By then, potentially buying out Engvall would be incredibly easy, as would it be to buy out the final year of Duclair, if either gets to that point.

The Present:

Presently, the 2025-26 Islanders will not be drastically different from last year’s. Defensively, they could be worse. Offensively, they will be significantly better.

Simon Holmstrom and Maxim Tsyplakov should take more steps forward. Emil Heineman will make the fourth line even more effective. Ideally, Mathew Barzal plays more than 30 games. Drouin adds a perfect playmaker for Bo Horvat’s left.

If Maxim Shabanov signs here, he adds another high-motor, offensively gifted talent who only adds to the dynamism of the roster.

In two years, this team’s forward group ideally prominently features Ritchie, Victor Eklund, and Cole Eiserman. Holmstrom could be a slam-dunk top-six winger by then, too. The roster, as constructed now, is built with that in mind.

That’s the main takeaway. Instead of signing instantly regrettable, forced deals, the Islanders’ GM made some shrewd moves for the NHL club, all while he also bolstered the AHL and depth, something not even discussed in this article.

There is an argument he should’ve gone long-term on Holmstrom and short-term on Romanov, something to be discussed at a different point. Those decisions likely keep it from being an A+ grade for Darche, but I’d be comfortable giving him an A-.