Mathieu Darche emphasizes player development in organizational overhaul

Since Mathieu Darche was hired as general manager, all the focus has been on how he's going to help the NHL roster. More specifically, what is he going to do with the first overall pick, and how will it affect the rest of the offseason? With the Islanders only missing the playoffs by nine points, a big offseason could put them right back in contention.

However, what many glance over is the rest of the organization. Specifically, when it comes to player development and scouting future talent. One of the moves made to address these concerns is hiring Ryan Bowness as assistant general manager and director of player personnel. But how will this move affect player development and the Islanders' minor league affiliates?

How the Ryan Bowness addresses the concerns in player development

Bowness has extensive experience in player development. He got his start in player development with the Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets organization. He received his big break in 2016-17, when he was a pro scout and eventually became the Director of Pro Scouting for the Pittsburgh Penguins. He served his role until 2021-22, when he left to become the assistant general manager of the Ottawa Senators.

During his time in Ottawa, he was in charge of running the Belleville Senators, the AHL affiliate of the Senators. During his time with Belleville, they had a record of 103-86-15-12 in three seasons. They also made the Calder Cup Playoffs in the 2023-24 season, winning the Prelims round against the Toronto Marlies in three games. They also graduated several players, including Mads Sogaard, Tyler Kleeven, and Zack MacEwen, to the NHL.

Having a successful AHL team is something the Islanders are in desperate need of. The Islanders' AHL affiliate, Bridgeport Islanders, are coming off one of the worst seasons in AHL history. This past year, they had a record of 15-40-4-3. They also set the record for worst record at home, going 4-28-1-3 at Total Mortgage Arena.

While Bridgeport was historically bad this season, they did have potential pieces for the Islanders' future. We saw Marc Gatcomb, Pierre Engvall, and Marcus Hogberg become regular starters after beginning the season in Bridgeport. They also had several of the team's prospects, including Isaiah George, Calle Odelius, Matt Maggio, and Justin Gill.

With the prospects on the roster, they need to put them in the best position to develop and become solid players. However, how are players supposed to grow if they're constantly losing? What motivation are they going to have to train and get better if it won't lead to success for the team? It's very easy to become unmotivated and uninterested when there's little chance of you winning.

Bowness' experience with the Belleville Senators makes him the perfect person to help turn the AHL club around. He, along with Darche, will have to be able to bring in veterans and AHL players who can complement the prospects and create a winning environment. If the Islanders want to be a sustainable winner, then the focus of the new assistant general manager will have to be on making Bridgeport competitive.

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