The Islanders appear to have found their replacement for two-time GM of the Year Lou Lamoriello
The New York Islanders are reportedly set to name Mathieu Darche as their next general manager, according to several sources. Darche, a former NHL forward with nine seasons under his belt, has most recently served as the director of hockey operations for the Tampa Bay Lightning. He would succeed Lou Lamoriello, who served as both president and GM from 2018 until the end of this season but will not return for the 2025–26 campaign.
During his tenure with the Lightning, Darche helped the organization secure back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2020 and 2021—seasons in which Tampa Bay eliminated the Islanders in the Eastern Conference Finals. New York, which recently won the NHL Draft Lottery, holds the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft.
Darche’s playing career lasted over a decade and included stints with five NHL teams. He saw time in both the AHL and NHL, ultimately playing 268 NHL games and tallying 75 points, including three points in 18 playoff contests. His career stops included the Columbus Blue Jackets, Nashville Predators, San Jose Sharks, Montreal Canadiens, and the Lightning before retiring in 2012.
The Islanders move on from Lamoriello after seven seasons, during which he built multiple playoff-caliber rosters. Under his leadership, the team reached the Eastern Conference Finals in back-to-back years (2020 and 2021) and he was twice named the NHL’s General Manager of the Year.
However, New York hasn’t made it past the first round of the playoffs since 2021 and missed the postseason entirely in two of the last four seasons. Although Lamoriello didn’t deliver a Stanley Cup in New York, he leaves behind a storied legacy as a three-time Cup winner with the New Jersey Devils, where he helped guide the franchise to titles in 1995, 2000, and 2003.
Leave a Reply