There’s a new man in charge on Long Island. The Islanders are set to name Mathieu Darche as the next general manager, who will replace Lou Lamoriello, who was GM/team president for the past seven seasons. After years of begging, Islanders fans finally get the fresh face they wanted to run the team. But who is Darche, and what will his first responsibilities be as general manager?
Who is the New Isles GM Mathieu Darche?
Darche played professional hockey for 19 years, bouncing between the NHL and AHL. He even spent the 2005-06 season in Germany, playing in the DEL, the top league in German hockey. After retiring in 2013, Darche spent a few years away from the game but returned in 2019 to become the Director of Hockey Operations for the Tampa Bay Lightning. While in this position, the Lightning won the Stanley Cup twice and won the Eastern Conference three times.
What Decisions Will He Have to Make?
Two pressing choices will define the early part of Darche’s tenure. The first is the future of Patrick Roy behind the bench. Roy was brought in after the Islanders fired Lane Lambert halfway through the 2024 season. In his year and a half on Long Island, he has a total record of 55-47-17 and made the playoffs in 2023-24, losing to the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round. While Roy has had some success with the Islanders, it might not be enough to keep his job. Darche might want to bring in his guy and not deal with the leftovers of the previous regime.
He must also decide who the Islanders will select with the first-overall draft pick. The Islanders’ job was so attractive because they won the draft lottery. This means that the Islanders can potentially get a franchise-altering player this offseason. However, Darche must answer the question of who that player will be. Unlike past years, there is no obvious first overall pick. There are three players, Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa, and James Hagens, who can all make the case to be the first player off the board. It’ll be up to Darch to decide which of them will be playing on Long Island next season.
Main Photo Credit: Dennis Schneidler – Imagn Images
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