Just one month into his new role overseeing the New York Islanders, Mathieu Darche acknowledges he hasn`t yet had much opportunity to significantly influence the franchise`s direction.
The 48-year-old first-time general manager was still with Tampa Bay in early May when the NHL lottery balls bounced favorably for the Islanders, propelling them 10 spots up the draft order to claim the first pick at the upcoming draft in Los Angeles on Friday.
“I can’t even claim that was the Darche luck,” he quipped with a laugh earlier this week.
The challenging work of revitalizing an Islanders team that has missed the playoffs in two of the last four years and hasn`t advanced past the first round since reaching the 2021 semifinals begins now. New York is widely expected to select defenseman Matthew Schaefer with the top pick.
Although Darche remains tight-lipped about his specific intentions for the No. 1 selection, it`s evident the Islanders have the chance to acquire a young, NHL-ready cornerstone player for a team that was just two points outside a playoff spot before suffering a late-season collapse, finishing with a 3-7-4 record.
“I’m going to get a fantastic player who will help our organization move forward and hopefully play for us for 15 or 20 years,” he stated when specifically asked about Schaefer.
“He’s a remarkable young man,” Darche commented on the two-way defenseman from the Erie Otters, noting Schaefer has shown great composure and resilience after facing challenges, including the loss of his mother to cancer. “He’s a tremendous player. He’s a wonderful person. However, having said that, we also met many other highly impressive prospects at the draft.”
The San Jose Sharks hold the second overall pick and are positioned to bolster their growing young core, which includes the 2024 No. 1 pick Macklin Celebrini.
“Our fans have endured some difficult seasons, but I believe we are starting to turn things around,” said Sharks GM Mike Grier regarding his team, which has finished 29th or lower in the standings in four of the last six years since their most recent playoff appearance.
Grier declined to speculate on who might be taken first overall but pointed out that the Sharks are in an excellent position to land a significant impact player with the second selection.
If Schaefer is chosen first, San Jose will have several strong options at center, with Michael Misa from OHL Saginaw and Anton Frondell from Sweden among the potential candidates.
Chicago is scheduled to pick third, followed by Utah, which also rose 10 spots after the draft lottery. Nashville selects fifth, followed by Philadelphia – these two teams, each holding three picks in the opening round, are expected to heavily influence the draft proceedings. The draft`s remaining rounds (2-7) will take place on Saturday.
“We certainly have a lot of capital to make different kinds of moves, not just trading up or down, but potentially acquiring assets for the future,” stated Flyers GM Danny Brier.
