Latest news with #JonathanDrouin
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Islanders 2025-26 NHL Projected Roster
On Tuesday, posted Stefen Rosner's New York Islanders team reset piece. Included in that story was his projected lineup for the 2025-26 season: Islanders head coach Patrick Roy shared with us that Jonathan Drouin, who signed a two-year deal worth $4 million annually, will start alongside Bo Horvat, with Mathew Barzal going back to center. Outside of that news, the rest of the forward makeup is a bit of a question mark in terms of how players line up. Simon Holmstrom proved last season that he's ready to be a regular in the top six, but likely isn't someone who can be a top liner. That's not a knock on the 24-year-old, as it's a win for the organization if he can prove to be a consistent producer playing second-line minutes. If Anthony Duclair is healthy enough, his speed will be a need, but will he earn second-line minutes, or will Anders Lee, coming off a tremendous season, get the opportunity to keep his job as a top-sixer? The Islanders have a good problem when it comes to their wingers, especially with a few being versaitle enough to play either side. The defense is more concrete, with everyone back from last season, minus Mike Reilly. The only thing that would impact the defense woud be No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer making the team, as we project to be the case. What are your thoughts on those projections? Stay updated with the most interesting Islanders stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story. PHOTO: Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
NHL Releases 2025-26 NHL Regular Season: Islanders Key Dates & Notes
The New York Islanders will begin the 2025-26 season on the road when they visit the Pittsburgh Penguins on October 9. New York's home opener will be on October 11 when they host the Washington Capitals. Here are some other key dates on the schedule: Colorado Avalanche forward Brock Nelson will make his return to Long Island on Thursday, Dec. 4. For the Islanders, Jonathan Drouin and assistant coach Ray Bennett will make their returns to Colorado when the Islanders head to Ball Arena on Sunday, Nov. 16. Montreal Canadiens defenseman Noah Dobson will make his return to Long Island on Sunday, Apr. 12, the second to last game of the regular season. The Islanders will first square off with the New York Rangers on Sat, Nov. 8 at MSG. Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) on X #Isles battle the #NYR, concluding the season series with a home & home: Sat, Nov 8 at MSG, 7 PM Sat, Dec. 27 at UBS, 6 PM Wed, Jan. 28 at UBS, 7:30 Thur, Jan. 29 at MSG, 7 PM If Matthew Schaefer joins the Islanders in the NHL this season, he will face his favorite NHL team growing up, the Toronto Maple Leafs, on Saturday, Jan 3, with his first visit to Scotiabank Arena being on Tuesday, March 17. Other noteables: - 10 of last 12 games at UBS Arena - Home games are back to 7 PM, outside of a few - 5 home games begin at 1 PM - 13 total afternoon starts - 2 seven-game road trips - 15 back-to-backs this season - Columbus Day matinee vs. WPG - Thanskgiving Eve vs. BOS - No game New Year's Eve but host UTAH on New Year's Day *game times are subject to change PHOTO: Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NHL Releases 2025-26 NHL Regular Season: Islanders Key Dates & Notes
The New York Islanders will begin the 2025-26 season on the road when they visit the Pittsburgh Penguins on October 9. New York's home opener will be on October 11 when they host the Washington Capitals. Here are some other key dates on the schedule: Colorado Avalanche forward Brock Nelson will make his return to Long Island on Thursday, Dec. 4. For the Islanders, Jonathan Drouin and assistant coach Ray Bennett will make their returns to Colorado when the Islanders head to Ball Arena on Sunday, Nov. 16. Montreal Canadiens defenseman Noah Dobson will make his return to Long Island on Sunday, Apr. 12, the second to last game of the regular season. The Islanders will first square off with the New York Rangers on Sat, Nov. 8 at MSG. Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) on X #Isles battle the #NYR, concluding the season series with a home & home: Sat, Nov 8 at MSG, 7 PM Sat, Dec. 27 at UBS, 6 PM Wed, Jan. 28 at UBS, 7:30 Thur, Jan. 29 at MSG, 7 PM If Matthew Schaefer joins the Islanders in the NHL this season, he will face his favorite NHL team growing up, the Toronto Maple Leafs, on Saturday, Jan 3, with his first visit to Scotiabank Arena being on Tuesday, March 17. Other noteables: - 10 of last 12 games at UBS Arena - Home games are back to 7 PM, outside of a few - 5 home games begin at 1 PM - 13 total afternoon starts - 2 seven-game road trips - 15 back-to-backs this season - Columbus Day matinee vs. WPG - Thanskgiving Eve vs. BOS - No game New Year's Eve but host UTAH on New Year's Day *game times are subject to change PHOTO: Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
The Most Important Thing Mathieu Darche Has Done As Islanders GM
When Jonathan Drouin was explaining the reasons why he chose the New York Islanders, one thing really stood out. And that was his answer when asked about the Islanders putting a cancer ribbon on first overall pick Matthew Schaefer's jersey at the 2025 NHL Draft: Taking care of their players is nothing new for the New York Islanders. Advertisement Regarding complaints about former general manager Lou Lamoriello's handling of the roster and salary cap, his players always knew they could go to him for anything. Former Islanders forward Jordan Eberle shared a story on Spittin' Chiclets years ago about how he struggled to get his newborn baby's paperwork to fly back home to Canada amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He called Lou, and a day later, Eberle and his family were able to get the necessary government documents needed to go home. That's just one example of many, with so many of these stories never coming to light because Lamoriello didn't need the validation from them. Advertisement While there's no problem with that, marketing is hard to do when things are done in secret. That's not to say Lamoriello should have shared every good thing he did during his tenure to entice free agents—the hope is that his players would do that for him—but what Darche is doing is out in the open for everyone to see. And, as you can see, a player like Drouin saw that, and it was something that played a part in him signing with the organization. That brings us to marketing in general. Schaefer has been a tremendous asset for the Islanders in terms of marketing, with the fan base buzzing at the chance to see him don the Islanders sweater this fall. Advertisement Opening up development camp practices to fans, as well as bringing back the Blue & White Scrimmage, was a massive boost for the mental psyche of the fan base. But, taking it a step further, players are being given the ability to let their personalities flow. Schaefer was allowed to appear on Spittin' Chiclets and conduct a fantastic interview about his love for Long Island and his excitement for the future. Former Islanders forward turned MSG analyst Cal Clutterbuck has been appearing on the Fore Play podcast with superfan Frank Borrelli, discussing the Islanders honestly. Ilya Sorokin, albeit in Russian, appeared on a show back home to discuss the Islanders. Alexander Romanov, who just inked an eight-year extension, took to social media to express how much it means to him to remain on Long Island. Advertisement This is not to say that Sorokin's interview or Romanov's Insta post is why the Islanders were able to land KHLer Maxim Shabanov, but it certainly didn't hurt their chances. Tony DeAngelo, who wasn't allowed to tweet after signing with the Islanders last season, is back on the bird app. His latest post was him sharing how excited he was to be back with the Islanders. Under Lamoriello, players were not allowed to appear on podcasts or in commercials. Speaking of commercials, Mathew Barzal had one with Paul Bissonnette the year he won the Calder (2017–18). It never aired, and maybe it's just a coincidence that Lamoriello came aboard right around then. Advertisement Long Island is an amazing place to live and raise a family. They have great schools, great beaches, great golf, and you're only a train ride away from New York City. But if the Islanders can't market all that enough—while also showing a commitment to winning on the ice—drawing free agents becomes a challenge, which it has been for a very long time. Darche understands the power of marketing. Expect the players to be able to show their personalities more this season—go on podcasts, maybe be in commercials, be a part of community events during the season. You look at all the dynasty players and how much they became one with the fan base, well, after their playing days were over. Advertisement You're seeing it with Thomas Hickey and Clutterbuck. We see it on the organizational side with Johnny Boychuk and Dennis Seidenberg serving as developmental coaches. Matt Martin, who just announced his retirement, has been named special assistant to Mathieu Darche as he learns the ropes of what it takes to be a GM. The fans love it all. Islanders fans were willing to deal with Lamoriello's antics because the team on the ice was winning. But once the winning and playoff success came to an end—back-to-back first-round losses to the Carolina Hurricanes before missing the playoffs entirely last season—fans were done with Lou. Advertisement It's not that fans wanted things back to the way they were before Lamoriello, since that was an absolute nightmare, but fans wanted transparency. And, boy, has Darche delivered that to a fan base that desperately, desperately needed it. Stay updated with the most interesting Islanders stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
The Most Important Thing Mathieu Darche Has Done As Islanders GM
When Jonathan Drouin was explaining the reasons why he chose the New York Islanders, one thing really stood out. And that was his answer when asked about the Islanders putting a cancer ribbon on first overall pick Matthew Schaefer's jersey at the 2025 NHL Draft: Taking care of their players is nothing new for the New York Islanders. Advertisement Regarding complaints about former general manager Lou Lamoriello's handling of the roster and salary cap, his players always knew they could go to him for anything. Former Islanders forward Jordan Eberle shared a story on Spittin' Chiclets years ago about how he struggled to get his newborn baby's paperwork to fly back home to Canada amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He called Lou, and a day later, Eberle and his family were able to get the necessary government documents needed to go home. That's just one example of many, with so many of these stories never coming to light because Lamoriello didn't need the validation from them. Advertisement While there's no problem with that, marketing is hard to do when things are done in secret. That's not to say Lamoriello should have shared every good thing he did during his tenure to entice free agents—the hope is that his players would do that for him—but what Darche is doing is out in the open for everyone to see. And, as you can see, a player like Drouin saw that, and it was something that played a part in him signing with the organization. That brings us to marketing in general. Schaefer has been a tremendous asset for the Islanders in terms of marketing, with the fan base buzzing at the chance to see him don the Islanders sweater this fall. Advertisement Opening up development camp practices to fans, as well as bringing back the Blue & White Scrimmage, was a massive boost for the mental psyche of the fan base. But, taking it a step further, players are being given the ability to let their personalities flow. Schaefer was allowed to appear on Spittin' Chiclets and conduct a fantastic interview about his love for Long Island and his excitement for the future. Former Islanders forward turned MSG analyst Cal Clutterbuck has been appearing on the Fore Play podcast with superfan Frank Borrelli, discussing the Islanders honestly. Ilya Sorokin, albeit in Russian, appeared on a show back home to discuss the Islanders. Alexander Romanov, who just inked an eight-year extension, took to social media to express how much it means to him to remain on Long Island. Advertisement This is not to say that Sorokin's interview or Romanov's Insta post is why the Islanders were able to land KHLer Maxim Shabanov, but it certainly didn't hurt their chances. Tony DeAngelo, who wasn't allowed to tweet after signing with the Islanders last season, is back on the bird app. His latest post was him sharing how excited he was to be back with the Islanders. Under Lamoriello, players were not allowed to appear on podcasts or in commercials. Speaking of commercials, Mathew Barzal had one with Paul Bissonnette the year he won the Calder (2017–18). It never aired, and maybe it's just a coincidence that Lamoriello came aboard right around then. Advertisement Long Island is an amazing place to live and raise a family. They have great schools, great beaches, great golf, and you're only a train ride away from New York City. But if the Islanders can't market all that enough—while also showing a commitment to winning on the ice—drawing free agents becomes a challenge, which it has been for a very long time. Darche understands the power of marketing. Expect the players to be able to show their personalities more this season—go on podcasts, maybe be in commercials, be a part of community events during the season. You look at all the dynasty players and how much they became one with the fan base, well, after their playing days were over. Advertisement You're seeing it with Thomas Hickey and Clutterbuck. We see it on the organizational side with Johnny Boychuk and Dennis Seidenberg serving as developmental coaches. Matt Martin, who just announced his retirement, has been named special assistant to Mathieu Darche as he learns the ropes of what it takes to be a GM. The fans love it all. Islanders fans were willing to deal with Lamoriello's antics because the team on the ice was winning. But once the winning and playoff success came to an end—back-to-back first-round losses to the Carolina Hurricanes before missing the playoffs entirely last season—fans were done with Lou. Advertisement It's not that fans wanted things back to the way they were before Lamoriello, since that was an absolute nightmare, but fans wanted transparency. And, boy, has Darche delivered that to a fan base that desperately, desperately needed it. Stay updated with the most interesting Islanders stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
