Darche confirms commitment to first overall pick, eyes franchise cornerstone

Now that the Stanley Cup has been awarded and the 2024-25 season has come to an end, the New York Islanders are officially on the clock.

Somewhat surprisingly, the Islanders won the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery and earned the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft, which kicks off Friday in Los Angeles. First-year general manager Mathieu Darche therefore faces a critical, potentially franchise-altering decision in just his first month on the job.

Darche effectively put an end to any questions regarding whether the Islanders would look to trade their first-round pick at the NHL Scouting Combine earlier this month.

"I expect to speak No. 1 on June 27," Darche said (via Adam Kimelman of NHL.com). "You've got to be open to everything, but I'd be shocked if we're not the one speaking first."

Well, that answers that. Now, Darche and the Islanders face another big question: Which player will they take at No. 1 overall?

Mathieu Darche confirms Islanders' commitment to first overall pick, eyes franchise cornerstone

There is a certain level of uncertainty at the top of the 2025 NHL Draft order that has been absent in recent years. While defenseman Matthew Schaefer is the consensus top player in this year's draft class, and many expect the Islanders to take him at No. 1, it wouldn't be altogether shocking to see forward Michael Misa or even Long Island native center James Hagens come off the board first.

Darche also said that his focus was on the future and that the Islanders would be drafting "a player we want to play a long time" at No. 1 overall. The decision, he said, is "not about now." As such, he doesn't feel a tremendous sense of urgency to draft a player who will make an immediate impact in the NHL lineup during the 2025-26 season.

No matter which player the Islanders select at No. 1 overall – Schaefer, Misa, Hagens, or someone else entirely – that player will be the face of a new generation of Islanders hockey as they seek to enter a new era of contention under Darche's leadership. As much pressure as that player will be under as a result, Darche will be under even more pressure to get this pick right.

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