Mathieu Darche Hints at Plan For First Overall Pick | New York Islanders News

Mathieu Darche Hints at Plan For First Overall Pick | New York Islanders News

We hinted at it a little bit, but can we get into his comments on the first overall pick? Yes. Okay. So, this was another thing that I thought was uh was telling. Uh Dar was asked about trading the 2025 number one overall pick. He said, “Someone would have to really knock my socks off to trade that pick.” And then followed up saying he expects to make the selection number one overall. Right? like he said it a few times that I I expect us to make that selection at first overall and then he kind of reiterated give us the gave us kind of like the Lou answer going well if someone calls I’m going to listen but then gives us that tidbit like they’re going to have to give me an offer I can’t refuse right like not that this is even possible but like it’s an exaggeration but you’ll know what I mean if uh Nash Barry Trotz calls and says we’ll give you our next 10 first round picks for the number one pick to slide back five spots like yeah like you’re going to and obviously that’s a little hyperbolic but someone would have to really blow you away. So to say we’re sticking and we’re taking this guy like that kills any leverage you might have even if you you know they’re dead set on a player which I’m putting a pin in for half a second because I want to get into that next. I think his comments hint at that a little bit but um I I would be absolutely floored if the Islanders trade that pick. Um, but I kind of like the confidence that he gave with that answer, too. It’s like to me it felt like we have a plan. Unless someone blows me away, we’re gonna stick to our plan and take our guy first overall. Yeah. Unless someone comes up with, as you mentioned, well, you didn’t mention it that way, but I’m going to mention it this way, a Spizz trade scenario, like an NHL Spizz trade scenario. hearken back to our days where we were in my basement, all of us live on the Discord telling me what to do on NHL and uh trade your four, five or four, five first overall picks for whatever guy. That that is very much a Spizz move. PS, happy birthday, Spizz. Happy birthday, Spizz. Turning all of what I assume is 37 based off that hairline. Jesus Christ, that that’s harsh. I was going to say based on the the comments and maturity level, no no older than 12. There you go. He’s somewhere in between that. Perfect. We came to the right the right answer. Somewhere between that. Um yeah, but he’s we’re going to have to get like a Gar Snow type of 2012 NHL draft where he chucks a team is going to chuck all of their first round picks at us and then we might consider it. And even then, I bet you he says no because well, why would I do that? Right. Exactly. Which gets me to my next point with I felt pretty confident that with how Dar was phrasing how you know is that we’re going to take someone and I expect to make the pick at number one and talking about playing with speed and playing good defense. To me that screams Matthew Schaefer. Yep. Probably. I don’t know about that. I’m still I think we’re going to draft Schaefer. So, I’m getting myself ready for it. And in my dream scenario on YouTube, I said Giraffe Schaefer cuz I think that that’s probably going to be the guy they take. But, I’m like, I don’t know, man. I’m convince me all of you that like that he’s the obvious number one pick. I just don’t think it’s an obvious slam dunk. Young, right? He’s what, 10 days away from being eligible for next year’s draft. Um, and didn’t play more than 20 games. I have a hard time being like lock number one overall. I get that and I’m a big Michael Misa fan. So like you I don’t you know and I know you are too. I don’t have to do any selling for you on Michael Misa on that one. I just think that they’re going to go, especially coming from Tampa Bay, too, where you have a guy like Victor Hedman who’s been there forever, be like, we’re going to take someone who we think is good defensively, is a good puck mover, and that’s going to help us one, play faster, but two, in our trans transition game, which stinks. Yeah. And he he’s not small, but he’s not massive like like Headman, but 6’2, 183 right now at 17. He won’t turn 18 years old until September 5th, which is insane. So, you’re getting a guy young basically. You’re getting an extra year out of this kid if you draft him first overall. So, like it it really seems like they’re going they’re going to be taking him. Although, like, can you pass up a guy who’s got 62 goals in 65 games? That’s hard. That’s going to be that’s going to be hard to do. Obviously, I think you can make a strong case for for taking that player. uh if he said if he came out there today and was saying you know uh we you know it’s important we got to score goals man like you look at this team our our biggest issue is not scoring enough goals we we have a good defensive group I just think you know we need a little bit more pop up front to to quote Barry Trotz there from back in the day I’d be coming on here and saying uh Mitch not so fast on this Matthew Schaefer love I think Michael Misa might be the guy but maybe I’m reading too much into into quotes on an opening presser, but for me trying to put the pieces together, my takeaway was that scream Schaefer. Yeah, you’re probably I don’t think you’re overreacting. I you’re you’re probably right in in connecting those two dots. And it’s not like it’s some drafts have Schaefer one, some drafts have Schaefer 2. It’s it seems that everyone has Schaefer number one. So, yeah, when that is the case, especially leading up to the draft, unless something insane happens in his interview or at the the combine that’s gonna happen later this week. I I I’m kind of with you. I expect them to take him, but there’s something in there with him. Anyways, I I’m being a dink. I’m being a dink being contrarian for contrarian sake, I think, at this point. Well, Misa is your guy. You You happen to really like Michael Misa, so I get that. I I understand why you’re going to bat for your guy. Yeah, I just there’s something about Young not playing a full season and like let and coming out of nowhere. He scored 17 points in 56 games last year. As a 16-year-old, I understand, but still. But whatever, I’m going to be happy either way. If you like that, make sure to subscribe to Up the Turnpike on Patreon for more exclusive New York Islanders content.

Matt and Mitch discuss Mathieu Darche’s comments on the 2025 NHL Draft and what that means for the New York Islanders

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