Darche spoke while he and team staff were constructing a playground at a Bellerose YMCA with the Islanders Children\u2019s Foundation.<\/p>\n
![\"Islanders](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Mathieu-Darche.jpg\")
Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche talks with media while he and team staff were constructing a playground at a Bellerose YMCA with the Islanders Children\u2019s Foundation on Sept. 2, 2026. Heather Khalifa for New York Post<\/p>\n
Palmieri tore his ACL against the Flyers in late November \u2014 he still managed to make an epic assist while skating toward the dressing room<\/a> \u2014 and was plenty limber while helping to install a jungle gym days ahead of training camp.<\/p>\n \u201cWe should have full participation with camp,\u201d the GM said of the whole roster.<\/p>\n Darche added that Romanov, who the team lost to a shoulder injury also in November for the remainder of the season, has \u201cbeen back for three weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s 12 pounds lighter. That\u2019s as good as I\u2019ve seen him.\u201d<\/p>\n While a late-season free fall booted the 91-point Isles out of playoff contention, Darche said Romanov could have come back midway through the opening round if needed.<\/p>\n Engvall missed the entire campaign from an October ankle surgery that came on the heels of a summer hip procedure, but \u201cright now everything looks like he\u2019s going to be able to play,\u201d Darche said .<\/p>\n Veteran goalie Semyon Varlamov, who hadn\u2019t hit the ice for a game since 2024 due to lingering knee issues, is also game ready.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s doing great, actually,\u201d Darche said. \u201cIt\u2019s not a miracle because he\u2019s really put in the work. He\u2019s been back here for at least a month. He\u2019s on the ice four to five times a week.<\/p>\n \u201cNo medication, no pain, anything like that. He\u2019s going to be a full participant in camp. He\u2019s going to play preseason games.\u201d<\/p>\n Darche added optimism that Varly will provide much-needed load management for overworked starter Ilya Sorokin during the upcoming campaign.<\/p>\n \u201cHopefully he\u2019s ready to give us a lot of games this year,\u201d Darche said of 38-year-old Varlamov.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tOn the ice from Long Island\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSign up for Inside the Islanders by Ethan Sears, a weekly Sports+ exclusive.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tThank you\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n The heat is on for players who didn\u2019t fight through long-term injuries as well.<\/p>\n \u201cWe expect some progression from guys like [Cal] Ritchie, even [Emil] Heineman, and then [Simon] Holmstrom,\u201d Darche said.<\/p>\n Holmstrom had a 41-point season, while Heineman and Ritchie had 31- and 30-point seasons, respectively.<\/p>\n![\"Islanders](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Mathieu-Darche-2.jpg\")
Islanders GM Mathieu Darche (right) looks on as volunteers lift a playground slide for a new community playspace at the Cross Island YMCA in Bellerose, N.Y. on Sept. 2, 2026. Heather Khalifa for New York Post<\/p>\n