Darche Excited, Honored to Take Over as GM and EVP

Mathieu Darche has interacted with the New York Islanders plenty over his life.

As a kid, some of his earliest memories were of the Islanders dynasty. He’s competed against the Islanders during his playing and management careers and on Thursday, he got a taste of being a New York Islander, meeting with media and fans during his introductory press conference at UBS Arena.

Darche, who was named Islanders General Manager and Executive Vice President on May 23, sat alongside Co-Owner, Operating Partner and Alternate Governor John Collins on Thursday. Six days after the announcement of his hiring, Darche was transparent about his approach, excitement and plans as he takes the reigns.

"I'd like to thank Scott Malkin, Jon Ledecky, John Collins and the rest of the ownership group for their trust in me and welcoming me, my wife and my boys to the Long Island area,” Darche said. “They’ve entrusted me with the hockey operations of this franchise. It's not something I take lightly."

Collins said there was “no doubt” about whether Darche is going to be the one for the job, as his holistic perspective of the hockey world is a tremendous asset for the organization. Collins said Darche is the "total package," citing his six years in hockey operations for the Tampa Bay Lightning, his business background and his playing career that includes over 700 pro games between the NHL and AHL.

“As our organization is evolving, we wanted someone who was really collaborative, but who was really a strong hockey leader, and was going to build a culture that would be a fit with what the community wants from us, what our business partners want from us, and ultimately, what the fans want from us,” Collins said.

Upon accepting the position, Darche immediately turned his attention to reaching out to the players and establishing a direct line of communication, a vital component in his leadership style. He’s already met with captain Anders Lee several times – and Lee was present at Thursday’s presser.

"I believe in that communication aspect with the players, and I can say I’ve spoken to almost every player,” Darche said.

Darche’s message to the players was that of an open-door policy and expectations of a winning culture. It’s still early, as Darche is starting to evaluate contracts and talk to agents, but the first step is getting to know players on a personal level.

"I had a great sit down, we got to know each other a little bit, and got to hear what his thoughts were moving forward," Lee said. "And there's a lot to look forward to. Mathieu is going to come in with a lot of ideas that he's had, and he's seen things that have worked in Tampa. He has a vision for this group and this team and organization."

Darche wants to see a team that plays fast and plays hard, clearly stating his confidence that the Islanders can make the playoffs.

"I want to see a fast-paced team," Darche said. "You can't win if you don't defend, and playing defensive and defending are two different things. We want to attack."

As part of his top-down approach, development at the AHL level is key to any team’s success. Darche announced changes to the Bridgeport coaching staff on Thursday.

"I believe in developing in the winning environment," Darche said. "The AHL will definitely be a focus for me because your players have to be ready because, let's face it, every team needs players called up during the year."

There is certainly a lot of excitement on the horizon, as the Islanders have the first-overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft at the end of June. Darche said the plan is to keep the pick and draft the best player available and go from there.

“I'm very fortunate, it’s not very often you get a job and first thing you have to do is pick the best player in the draft,” Darche said. "Someone would really have to knock my socks off to trade that pick, because we're going to get a special player. I'm going to do my due diligence, but I expect us to be picking at the end of June."

Darche is coming in with impressive experience with the Lightning – six years as their director of hockey ops and three as Assistant General Manager since the 2022-23 season.

"It's seeing what we have here, seeing what I can bring and putting it together to have a winning and an effective hockey operations department,” Darche said. "I've learned a lot and I'm proud to have worked with the Lightning. The team is really aligned from top to bottom, from the ownership to the president, to the GM to the coach to the players. That's how you build a strong organization."

The Islanders and Lightning went head-to-head in the Stanley Cup Semifinals in 2020 and Eastern Conference Final in 2021, with Tampa winning the Stanley Cup in both years. There’s no bad blood – just a few lighthearted jokes – between Darche and Collins about those intense battles. Darche got a positive impression from the Islanders fanbase in the 2021 playoff run, experiencing the unreal atmosphere of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum after the OT win in Game 6 of the ECF.

"The fans are unbelievable.,” Darche said. “Every time I talked to John, I said, not that I want to rub it in, but in [the playoffs] in 2020 and 2021, Game six at the Coliseum, when Anthony Beauvillier scored in overtime, how loud that building was, never mind all the beers being thrown on the ice everywhere. It’s an unbelievable fan base. I'm really, really excited."

Darche, a native of Montreal, talked about his love for the New York City area – how he would frequently make the drive down from Montreal with his wife often – and how excited he is to move to Long Island with his family. He also plans on getting involved in charity initiatives and making an impact in the Islanders’ already strong presence in the community.

He also gave a nod to the Islanders’ rich history, as he remembers the four straight Stanley Cups from when he was growing up, idolizing Mike Bossy and the players of the dynasty era.

"Mike Bossy is always an idol of any kid playing hockey in Quebec, he could score from anywhere, so that's my first memory,” Darche said. “The Islanders brand is strong in the NHL, it’s a storied franchise. But having said that, we want to create our own legacy, also where to create our own success."

Darche, the first-time GM, can bring his vision to life and bolster success with the Islanders from here on out.

“There's only 32 of these jobs, so I'm honored to be one of the 32,” Darche said. “I'm really, really excited to be here and again, it's an honor."