With the 2025 Christmas break underway, the New York Islanders hold onto the third spot in the Metropolitan Division. In 37 games, their record is 20-13-4, good for 44 points. The 2-1 win against the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday leapfrogged the Islanders over the Washington Capitals, who sit at 43 points after their 7-3 loss to the New York Rangers. Islanders’ General Manager Mathieu Darche has his fingers all over the organization’s rise.
It’s a big improvement from where the Islanders were a year ago. On December 24, 2024, the Islanders sat five points out of the final wildcard spot. Sporting a 13-15-7 record through 35 games, the Islanders had just 33 points and were 13th in the Eastern Conference. With hindsight, it’s known the Islanders won the lottery and drafted phenom defenseman Matthew Schaefer with the number one overall pick. But at the time, plenty of uneasiness was in the air.
Heading To Dark Times?
On April 17, 2025, fans were understandably anxious about the team’s future. The Islanders just finished the season with a 35-35-12 record, good for 82 points and 13th in the East. Five days prior, the Islanders were officially eliminated from playoff contention for the first time since the 2021-22 season. The Philadelphia Flyers handed the Islanders the final blow. Even if the official elimination was a foregone conclusion by that point, the feeling of the season officially ending after 82 games hurt.
The Islanders’ future looked bleak. Fans soured on longtime GM Lou Lamoriello, and the Islanders organization seemed to agree. Following seven seasons with the club, Lamoriello’s contract wasn’t renewed, and he was let go on April 22nd. The team was slow. The prospect cupboard wasn’t in the upper echelon of the league. There was a feeling that a new set of eyes was needed to steer the Islanders in the right direction.
The Renaissance on Long Island
Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Thirteen days later, on May 5, they won the number pick in the upcoming draft lottery. 18 days after that, on May 23rd, Mathieu Darche was chosen to be the franchise’s seventh general manager.
Darche didn’t wait long to get started. At the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, Darche traded star defenseman Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens for picks 16 and 17 and Emil Heimeman. Darche used those picks on Viktor Eklund and Kashawn Aitcheson, respectively. Both players are highly touted, and the organization hopes they’ll be making an impact sooner rather than later. Heineman, meanwhile, has been a perfect fit on Long Island this season.
In free agency, Darche signed Jonathan Drouin and KHL phenom Max Shabanov. Both players have fit in well in Patrick Roy’s new speed-first system. Shabanov specifically has been leaned on by Roy at times to generate offense.
Darche signing David Rittich was an under-the-radar move that has proven to be worth its weight in gold. Rittich was originally supposed to be a temporary backup solution while Semyon Varlamov heals from his injury. He’s been excellent on Long Island through three months of the season. According to HockeyStats.com, Rittich boasts a +11.2 goals saved above expected in thirteen appearances, 15th best in the NHL. Rittich is sporting an 8-3-2 record with a .913 save percentage. His play has taken some of the workload off Ilya Sorokin, who has himself been excellent for the Islanders in a return to form.
Darche Leading the Charge
Mathieu Darche’s first few months as Islanders GM are going well. The team is much faster than it was a year ago. They’re up eleven points on last year’s team. The Islanders can’t rest on their laurels with how tight the Eastern Conference is, but morale is high. If the Islanders keep their playoff spot past game 82, Darche should be in contention for one of the final GM of the Year spots. It’ll be difficult to beat out names such as Chris MacFarland, whose Colorado Avalanche are tearing through the NHL with a 27-2-7 record, but Darche should be given his flowers.
In twelve months, the New York Islanders have turned on a dime. From a team in murky waters to a speedy and winning roster that is buying in. He’ll get lost in the shuffle, but Mathieu Darche deserves praise for what he’s done on Long Island in the early goings of his GM tenure.