Darche Adds Depth at All Positions on First Day of Free Agency

The free agency market opened at noon on Tuesday and Islanders GM and EVP Mathieu Darche was busy on the phone. In a flurry of transactions, the Islanders acquired forward Jonathan Drouin and netminder David Rittich, extended defenseman Tony DeAngelo and Simon Holmstrom after signing defenseman Alexander Romanov to a long-term deal the day before.

Read up on Darche’s thought process and strategy behind July 1’s transactions.

DROUIN “FITS A NEED” FOR ISLANDERS, POWER PLAY

There’s a lot to like about Drouin’s game in the eyes of Darche, but his power-play prowess stands out in particular.

Drouin has 125 power-play points in his career, including 31 power-play points in the past two seasons with Colorado.

“We wanted to bring a bit of talent up front, especially to help the power play,” Darche said. “He's an elite power play player. He can bring some offense. He'll play in our top six.”

The Islanders power play finished 31^st in the NHL last season, converting at 12.6%.

“He fits a need we had, and obviously we want to improve the power play from last year,” Darche said. “Our new [assistant] coach, Ray Bennett, had him in Colorado last year, so he actually knows his strength also how to use him on the on the power play.”

Drouin has recorded double-digit power-play points five times in his career, including a career-high 26 power-play points in 2016-17 with Tampa. He recorded 22 power-play points in 2017-18 with Montreal, 16 in 2018-19 with the Habs, 19 in 2023-24 with Colorado and 12 in 43 games last season.

Drouin’s 12 power-play points would have tied for the Isles lead last season. Only three Islanders have recorded more than 26 power-play points since the start of the 2015-16 season (Josh Bailey 31, John Tavares 30 and Mathew Barzal 27 in 2017-18).

The 30-year-old winger is more than just a power-play specialist and is expected to add some offensive punch to the Islanders. Drouin recorded 93 points (30G, 63A) in 122 games with Colorado over two seasons. His 56 points (19G, 37A) in 2023-24 were a career-high while his 37 points (11G, 26A) in 43 games last season accounted for the best points-per-game percentage (0.86) of his career.

“He really fits what we need right now,” Darche said. “We need a guy who can move the puck on the power play, a guy that can play top six with guys like Bo Horvat, who is a guy who likes to shoot. [Jonathan] is a great passer, so he fits our need right now and will help us right away.”

RITTICH BRINGS VETERAN EXPERIENCE

Darche bolstered his depth in net by signing David Rittich to a one-year deal.

Rittich’s resume features 230 games and 108 wins in his NHL career, which includes stops in Calgary, Toronto, Winnipeg,Nashville and most recently LA. His 108 wins are top-30 in the NHL since the start of the 2017-18 season. “David is a veteran around the NHL, he’s a very capable goalie and we’re excited to increase our depth,” Darche said.

Darche knows that injuries are inevitable throughout a long season, so he wanted to make sure his roster has enough reinforcement, especially in goal. Semyon Varlamov suffered a season-ending injury in late November and underwent knee surgery in December. Although he’s progressing toward a full recovery, the addition of Rittich brings some security to the goaltending group that saw five netminders take the ice last season.

“You can never have enough goalies,” Darche said. “[Varlamov’s] rehab is going well, but we still have to prepare in case something happens.”

FLEXIBILITY AND FORESIGHT

In addition to taking care of the injury front, Darche was also focused on acquiring and re-signing versatile, well-rounded players to fill in where needed and try out different combinations.

The addition of Drouin adds playmaking and speed to the wing - where the forward played the majority of his career - but he also comes in with experience at center. With Drouin expected to fit into a top-six role, and can free up Mathew Barzal to play center, but the bottom line is the versatility in the lineup as a whole.

“It’s a big asset for a team when you have players that aren’t pigeonholed into one position,” Darche said. “So the more guys that can play center and move to the wing, the more combinations you can do, it gives us more options.”

DEANGELO SIGNS ONE-YEAR EXTENSION

Signing DeAngelo was a priority for Darche, who was impressed with what the defenseman was able to bring in a short span since joining the Islanders in January.

DeAngelo recorded 19 points (4G, 15A) through 39 games since Jan. 30 after inking a contact that ran through the end of the season. The 29-year-old is expected to be a key piece on the man advantage, along with the addition of Drouin and help fill a void left by the departure of Noah Dobson.

“DeAngelo played really well when he came here,” Darche said. “He could run a power play so we’re excited to bring him back.”

ROMANOV LOCKED UP LONG TERM

Not only does Darche appreciate Romanov’s edge and physicality on the ice, he also likes the defenseman’s age and commitment to the team for the long haul. Romanov’s eight-year deal was Darche’s sole long-term deal this week.

“We want guys who will play hard and compete,” Darche said. “Romanov is exactly that, and he’s also 25 years old. We’re getting the prime years of his career.”

Romanov laid the hits last season – 147 to be exact – and lead the team in blocked shots (165). His 20 points (4G, 16A) in 64 games ranked fourth on the Isles among defensemen, while his 22:18 TOI average ranked third on the team.

Darche also views Romanov as a true competitor, and one that can be a veteran presence down the line for the 2025 draft class.

“As our team keeps improving and our younger guys that we drafted this weekend are coming in, he’s a veteran guy that plays hard and hits,” Darche said. “He’s an important part of our team and we’re excited to have him for the next eight years.”