Mathieu Darche is ready to for the NY Islanders General Manager opportunity

If you’re a New York Islanders fan watching the current GM search unfold, one name has remained near the top of almost every list: Mathieu Darche. Yesterday, reports surfaced that Darche was interviewing with the Islanders, which has been in the works for a few days since the Tampa Bay Lightning were eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

You might know him as Tampa Bay’s Assistant GM. You might vaguely remember his playing days. But the more you learn about him, the more you start to think… this guy might be exactly what the Islanders need. Let's explain why.

Darche was never supposed to be here. He went undrafted. Spent four years grinding it out at McGill University in Montreal. And still managed to carve out a nine-year NHL career, playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Nashville Predators, San Jose Sharks, Tampa Bay Lightning, and finally, his hometown Montreal Canadiens. He wasn’t flashy. He wasn’t a superstar. But he was smart, hardworking, and dependable, all traits that would serve him well off the ice, too.

After hanging up the skates, Darche didn’t just walk into a front office job. Like his playing career, he earned every step. In 2019, following Steve Yzerman’s departure for Detroit, Julien BriseBois brought Darche into the Lightning organization as Director of Hockey Operations. That's where things started to take off for him in his second career. Tampa Bay won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021. While BriseBois rightfully got credit for many big moves, Darche played a huge role behind the scenes, especially in two essential areas - the salary cap and contract negotiations.

Darche has quietly been Tampa Bay’s cap guru. Several contracts in recent years were negotiated directly between Darche and the players’ agents — no middleman, no need to run it up the chain. Just trust and results. While BriseBois made the headline moves — like dealing for Mikhail Sergachev or choosing not to re-sign a declining Steven Stamkos — Darche has been the one working the numbers, keeping Tampa not just competitive, but dominant.

In an interview on The Block Party, Darche laid out his no-nonsense, forward-thinking approach to roster building: “We identify needs. We identify players that we think some teams might move... You want a player? Let’s not waste time. ‘I want him.’ ‘Alright, you want this? I’ll give him to you because it’s going to help us now."

This is the kind of mindset the Islanders desperately need - bold, clear-eyed, and proactive. The Isles are at a crossroads. They’re not in full rebuild mode, but the status quo clearly isn’t enough. They need a fresh voice, someone who understands how to balance veteran contracts with long-term flexibility. Someone who isn’t afraid to make tough calls or take smart risks.

That’s Darche. He’s already proven himself in one of the most successful front offices of the salary cap era. He’s respected around the league. And more importantly, he’s ready.