Winners, losers from the very early days of Islanders' Mathieu Darche era
Barely a week into the Mathieu Darche era on Long Island, the new general manager's vision is already taking shape.
The Post picks the (very) early winners and losers from the Darche Era.
Winners
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Patrick Roy
Not only is Roy back behind the bench as head coach, but he gets a larger say in shaping his assistant coaching staff after John MacLean and Tommy Albelin were let go and has a general manager who sounded very much aligned with him on how the team should play.
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New York Times
16 hours ago
- New York Times
With first-round haul at 2025 draft, Islanders ‘replenished' prospect pool for future
The Athletic has live coverage of the 2025 NHL Draft. The New York Islanders have known better days. They haven't experienced many busier ones, though. From the hours before and then throughout Round 1 of the NHL Draft on Friday night, new general manager Mathieu Darche left no doubt he is remaking a franchise that hasn't won the Stanley Cup since 1984 and last advanced beyond the second round in 2020-21. Advertisement That's the goal: to bring the Cup back to Long Island. And if it ever happens, Day 1 of Darche's first draft might be remembered for setting the foundation. As expected, the Islanders selected touted defenseman Matthew Schaefer with the first overall pick. But it was a big trade made a few hours prior that set up what Darche hopes will be looked upon as a fruitful night. Then, the Islanders dealt defenseman Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens for forward Emil Heineman and the Nos. 16 and 17 picks in the draft. With those selections, the Islanders took winger Victor Eklund and defenseman Kashawn Aitchenson — the eighth- and 11th-rated prospects, respectively, in The Athletic's final draft rankings. 'High-character individuals tend to overachieve, and we've got three high-character young players,' Darche said. 'That's the type of individuals I want on the team, so it was a great night for the Islanders.' Darche said he believes the Islanders 'replenished our prospect pool' in Friday's first round — a process that he felt was started with moves by former GM Lou Lamoriello at the trade deadline. Darche is willing to move the team's remaining Day 2 draft picks if the return nets NHL players who can help the team next season and beyond. He also plans to spend in free agency. Adding significant pieces on the open market is costly and risky, perhaps no more or less than daring to move on from Dobson. Darche said his intention until this week was to re-sign Dobson. When it became apparent that wouldn't happen, he pivoted to a trade. The price for Eklund and Aitchenson was steep. Dobson, who signed a max-term deal with an $9.5 million cap hit as part of a sign-and-trade to the Canadiens, has proven himself an explosive right-shot defenseman, especially on the power play. But that's at his best, and he wasn't last season. Still, at 25, Dobson is entering the traditional prime. Therein lay the logic for trading him. Advertisement Darche said he was willing to trade the picks acquired from Montreal to add NHL talent. He also confirmed looking to move back into Round 1, conceding that center James Hagens, a Long Island native, was 'high on our list.' The Islanders were not alone among clubs angling to move into the top 10, but the price was high enough to keep all those interested GMs at bay, and the Boston Bruins ended any fairytale dreams in New York when they picked Hagens seventh overall. 'He's a good player,' Darche said of Hagens. 'That's why (the Bruins) picked him.' Instead, the Islanders picked three players in Round 1 for only the second time. The other was 1999, when they made four opening-round selections. The @NYIslanders had a busy Round 1 of the #NHLDraft, selecting Matthew Schaefer (No. 1), Victor Eklund (No. 16) and Kashawn Aitcheson (No. 17).#NHLStats: — NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) June 28, 2025 The Islanders are trying to build a Cup contender, not merely a team that competes for a playoff spot. The hope is that these first-round picks, led by Schaefer, a projected franchise defenseman, form part of the foundation for a Cup contender over the long haul. 'It's only starting,' Schaefer said from Los Angeles. 'Train and work as hard as I can so when the end of the summer comes, when the season comes, I'm ready to go play at that NHL level.' Before he became the Islanders' sixth No. 1 pick in franchise history, Schaefer's draft-eligible season was marred by significant time missed because of a broken collarbone and mononucleosis. But those setbacks, he said, are 'small' compared to a trio of losses in 2003. That year his billet mom with the Erie Otters, Emily Matson, died of apparent suicide, a few months before his mother, Jennifer Schaefer, died following a lengthy battle with breast cancer. That December, Otter's owner Jim Waters died of a heart attack. Advertisement The jacket Schaefer wore on Friday night had images of his mother sewn into the lining. When he pulled on the Islanders sweater after greeting NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on stage, Schaefer was surprised to find his mother's initials sewn inside the collar. By the time he touched a pink breast cancer awareness ribbon he hadn't expected to see on the left shoulder of the jersey, Schaefer was doing all he could to fight back tears. He gave up that fight — something his late mother never did, Schaefer said. An emotional moment as Matthew Schaefer dons the Islanders sweater for the first time 👏 — ESPN (@espn) June 27, 2025 'To do that for me — it means a lot and it goes a long way,' he said. 'A lot of people can say, 'Ah, it's just a ribbon,' but it means a lot for me. My mom's a big part of my life, and this jersey I'm going to hang onto, for sure. 'The ribbon has a lot of meaning to it.' So, too, does banking on a blueliner to help lead a franchise rebuild. Darche, who came to the Islanders after many years in the Tampa Bay Lightning front office, is well-versed in the many ways an elite defenseman can positively impact a team. He wouldn't dare compare Schaefer to the Lightning's Victor Hedman, a likely future Hockey Hall of Famer who has won a Norris Trophy and a Conn Smythe Trophy and played a pivotal role on Tampa Bay's back-to-back Cup-winning teams earlier this decade. However, the plan is to provide Schaefer with every resource necessary — including time — to grow into a foundational piece on Long Island. 'I haven't met many 17-year-olds with that maturity,' Darche said. 'But we drafted him because he's a hell of a hockey player.' — Eric Stephens contributed reporting.
New York Post
19 hours ago
- New York Post
Islanders fans celebrate start of Matthew Schaefer in grand fashion at UBS Arena NHL draft party
Mathieu Darche called the shots from the makeshift war room in the Islanders' dressing room at UBS Arena, and hundreds of fans reacted to his decisions from just a few dozen yards away. Fans filled the floor and the lower bowl for Friday's draft party at the arena, with some current and former players making cameos among the crowd, including Mat Barzal, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Casey Cizikas and Scott Mayfield. The overwhelming sentiment from those in attendance: excitement and optimism, both with the No. 1 selection of Matthew Schaefer and the team trading Noah Dobson to Montreal for the 16th and 17th picks and Swedish fourth-liner Emil Heineman. 3 Fans of the New York Islanders react and celebrate to Matthew Schaefer being drafted first overall at their official NHL Draft Party at UBS Arena on June 26, 2025 in Elmont, New York. NHLI via Getty Images There was little surprise or shock from the crowd when the Islanders took Schaefer, but that didn't subdue the raucous cheers when the team officially picked the 17-year-old defenseman from Hamilton, Ontario.
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
Matthew Schaefer was so emotional after being picked No. 1 overall at NHL Draft
The New York Islanders made Erie Otters defenseman Matthew Schaefer the first overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft on Friday night. A native of Hamilton, Ontario, Schaefer was also the first overall pick in the Ontario Hockey League draft in 2023. It was an emotional moment for the 17-year-old prospect, whose mother passed away from breast cancer in February of 2024. Schaefer was brought to tears of joy after his selection was announced, and as he put on the Islanders jersey on stage with commissioner Gary Bettman, he kissed the breast cancer awareness ribbon on his jersey and pointed to the sky. Advertisement The emotions continued as Schaefer met with New York brass, including general manager Mathieu Darche. "It's a great day in the Islander organization," Darche said. "Your parents should be extremely proud of you. I know your mom is proud of you." Schaefer shined in 17 games last season with the Otters, totaling 22 points with seven goals in that span before suffering a broken clavicle in December while competing for Canada at the World Junior Championship. He's had quite a bit of success in international play already in his career, winning gold medals for Canada in the 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship and the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Advertisement After overcoming personal tragedy, Schaefer's draft dreams came true on Friday night. Now, he'll join an Islanders franchise that hasn't advanced beyond the first round of the playoffs since 2021 and is coming off a 35-35-12 season in which it missed the postseason. This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: 2025 NHL Draft: Matthew Schaefer was emotional after going 1st overall
