New York Islanders Pregame Availability | Mathieu Darche | NYI at TBL
Is it I mean you play you just played him four days ago or whatever it was. Was it good to get that first one out of the way before coming here a little? Yeah, but it’s very different than you know if it was a coach or a player coming back. Right. Like for me like it’s I’m not on the ice. I I don’t have an an impact on the actual game itself when it’s being played. So it’s very different than you know if I coach this team and then I coach against them or if I played here. So it’s it’s for me like I’m in the background so it’s not like if uh I mean it’s fun. You always you want to win every game and uh uh like I said, I had a great time here, but it’s it’s it’s very different being in this role than if you were a player or a coach. That has an actual impact on the the game being played. What is it like for you? I mean, I guess to be back in this building with your brother here, you know, that’s not his uh I’m actually surprised he got up this morning, but uh it’s uh it’s his third one uh third or fourth one that he’s done. So, it’s uh it’s fun like you it’s fun for all the players to see all the dads. We had a nice dinner last night and it’s, you know, the dads, all our families have had a big part as the players and getting where they are. And even the staff, you know, the equipment guys, the medical guys, it’s nice for their for their parent, whether it’s a father or a brother, depending on who came or mentor that, uh, you know, they get to see how we live on the road and how we travel, which is pretty nice way to travel and nice hotel, but it’s nice to to to show people close to you like what you do. And it’s a it’s almost like bring your kid to work day, but you’re bringing a family members. So, it’s uh it’s great for for the players, for the staff, for everyone. It’s fun to have our our uh our family here. So, with the way that the team played against Colorado, is there a sense when you watch this team that when they play against those top teams, they’re able to elevate their play? And what do you see as a general manager as kind of the keys to staying at that level as consistently as often as as consistently as possible? Well, that’s actually even the games before that when we did you might not have um got in the results in at home, we actually played pretty well like it’s and there’s no moral victories. You don’t get expected points in the standing, you only get actual points. So, uh, but you know, the the challenge all the time is you you obviously we played arguably the top two teams in the league in Tampa and, uh, and Colorado and we beat them, but now like it’s Tampa again today, but when you get into the other games, you can’t you can’t just say, “All right, we can breathe out because we’re we’re not playing the top team. Every team, you see it in our conference. I mean, you win two games, you’re almost in first place in your division. And you lose two, you’re in last place.” So, every point matters uh regardless of who you play against. and it’s going to be a big challenge tonight. Again, do you suspect what you just said like how tight it is that it’s that’s going to be the story the whole season or do you think eventually things are going to separate a little bit? If if I knew uh what was going to happen, but listen, it’s it’s that’s a parody that’s around the league right now. Uh so we can’t we can’t take any games for granted, right? there’s there’s no easy games in the city. I know it’s a cliche, but the reality is it is. There’s never been as much parody. Look at the Eastern Conference. It’s it’s it’s ridiculous right now. Like there’s there’s three points, I think, or four points between first and last in our division or four or five at this time of year. That’s uh so it shows you that you can’t breathe out. You can’t just say, “All right, let’s take a little breather here.” Like we have three days off at Christmas. That’s a breather we’re going to have, you know? So, uh every two point matters regardless of who you play. You’ve talked a lot about giving young players a chance and I I know you’re still, you know, you’re looking around to make the team better, you will. But what have you seen especially from Shaban Shabbanov getting a chance to play the spot and Pouro, we know Richie get in that spot for now. Well, the the guys have played great and what great thing with Patrick is uh he’s a coach that doesn’t mind playing the young guys. You saw Matthew Schaefer like by game three or four, he was playing 25 minutes some games. And uh uh you know it’s uh we we talk about when someone goes down and you see the lightning have had a lot of success with a lot of guys hurt. Right now it’s next man up mentality and that’s what you have to have. And uh uh Shab Shabanov was uh playing really well before he got hurt. He came back. It’s always an adjustment the first few games and then he’s been playing extremely well. Now he got an opportunity with um Paul Mary out and he’s actually played really well with Bo and Heinman and Richie like uh you know his game was he’s was always very good defensively but his offensive game was starting to come actually when he was paired with with Shabby at the end of the road trip and now like whenever someone gets hurt it’s an opportunity for someone else and he’s played you know he made that night nice pass to Duke against uh Tampa for that that that goal that uh that was important because they kept pushing in the third and So, uh, the guys have really and you know, they get the trust of Patrick, which really helps a young guy when you know like you’re not a mistake away from being s sitting on the bench. So, he gives them the opportunity and he trusts them. So, they’ve really helped us with those injuries. What kind of message do you think that sends the players in Bridgeport that there if there’s an opportunity they could get a chance? For sure. Look at the, you know, like early in the year we called up Marshall Warren. He played well and then uh next time we needed a D. You know, I called Rocky. I said, “Who do you feel like has been playing the best right now?” We said, “Travis Mitchell. is the one that’s been up. He’s actually played really well. And uh uh so that’s the mentality we want to have is is you you you eat what you kill, right? Like you you get what you deserve. Uh so whether you’re a top pick or a free agent, like to me, it’s just a way to acquire a player. So if whoever plays well is the one that’s going to play. Do you have any kind of updates on Pacio or Drew and when when they might be available? Pio is close. Like he’s literally like, you know, we said week to week he’s day to day. Like he’s very close. There’s still a chance for tomorrow, but we’ll see. Like, so he’s he’s he’s we’re talking in in days. And Joe just had a little tweak, lower body injury, like he he stayed back home just to get some some treatment, but I don’t expect him to be out too long. So, uh hopefully it’s just dayto-day. That’s what we we think it is. And uh again, it just happens. So, we’ll see when we get back. But I don’t expect anything longterm. And Pou like you saw like he’s he’s basically going through full practice. She doesn’t have the uh where do we usually it’s a red non-cont jersey. I guess we do orange. So yeah.
#Isles General Manager Mathieu Darche addressed the media ahead of tonight’s matchup against Tampa Bay
