New York Islanders: Mathieu Darche is named GM of the New York Islanders

[Duanesutter12]

My big take away from this is we're signing YannI Gourde next year and I'm all for it! That guy was such a pest against us. Hope he still has something left in the tank.

 

[seafoam]

Because this is AI, not a text from the NHL, I've been watching hockey since 1972 and have seen many situations like this one, where the incoming GM, President, director of scouting, etc., was not allowed to take part in anything draft-related. It's logical. Now maybe rules have changed....you'll know soon enough.

It's likely Tampa Bay has not held significant draft meetings yet, Darche is now an employee of the Islanders.

I would be shocked if he wasn't at the draft table and had input on all picks. It's not like NYI and TBL were competing for a draft position anyways.

If ANYTHING, Darche joining NYI makes it a smidge more likely that he trades for Issac Howard. We could really use an injection of youth...

 

[seafoam]

Most important thing GMMD said was "lets not waste time".

The mantra of former Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello was "if you have time, use it".

This change in philosophy alone I think will benefit this franchise. Identify opportunities and attack...be in the driver's seat. The Coleman and Goodrow acquisitions absolutely helped solidify TBL's bottom six for their playoff runs.

 

[IslesNorway]

My big take away from this is we're signing YannI Gourde next year and I'm all for it! That guy was such a pest against us. Hope he still has something left in the tank.

The last thing he should go is go and swoop for any old TBL players available. Gourde had one goal in his return to the Lightning and is probably well past it by now. Build a team with young talent, not guys in the mid-30s looking for a final buck.

 

[Islanders4Cups]

I don’t think it is a rule but rather a negotiation. Any new GM that is currently employed must be let out of a contract. The old organization does so under the condition the new GM can’t participate in the new teams draft.

I don't get this at all. So If every GM and Assistant GM who moves cant participate in the draft, then there are a lot of execs not participating. I think it is BS.

 

[Lek]

I think this is the right move but kinda funny for the Lou haters. Lou must go so he doesn't trade draft picks or bring in/ re-sign old guys. I dont think Tampa has developed a single player or drafted a player of consequence since Yzerman left.

It will be interesting to see what the relationship will be like between Darche and Roy.

I am betting this has already been discussed....what has been decided?....we shall see. I hope Roy stays.

 

[impaaaaaact]

 

[impaaaaaact]

I am betting this has already been discussed....what has been decided?....we shall see. I hope Roy stays.

I bet we're getting Roy unleashed... picks his own staff this season. Apparently though there is chatter about Darche trying to bring over his friend Guy Boucher back over from Russia.

He might actually fit in with Roy - believe his most recent job was with Toronto as their PP coach, and he took the blame for one of their early exits. Former head coach of both Tampa and Ottawa, and got the the ECF with both. Supposed to be a super intense dude and has a crazy scar.

If I was Roy, I probably wouldn't love a former coach who is friends with the GM in the organization - that feels like an immediate hot seat. Still, that shit happens and it's part of the job.

 

[beach]

Frankly just hiring a GM today and going with Collins as "interim president" suggests that the POHO for the Islanders will be one more focused on building a modern front office. If the Isles wanted a POHO with experience in player personnel and scouting, they would have hired Shanahan or Bergevin. Instead, the Isles seem content to keep searching.

My choice for President is now Kate Madigan.

If you looked at just her resume without knowing the person's identity you would have to think she is more than qualified for this job. Woman, man, squirrel. Hire this person.

She's funny too!

 

[Glory Days]

I don't get this at all. So If every GM and Assistant GM who moves cant participate in the draft, then there are a lot of execs not participating. I think it is BS.

To my knowledge it is not every GM/AGM move but on a case by case basis. There is no rule but if a GM/AGM has a contract that needs to be terminated then sometimes that team lets the GM/AGM out of the contract under the stipulation that the GM/AGM can’t participate in the new teams draft. I recall it happening a few times but not often.

 

[JKP]

Was wondering about this. I know we're not the Leafs in terms of size, money, employees, reach, or fanbase....But they had a full-scale "White House style" press conference today for the MLSE President that was streamed live on Sportsnet...



How come the Islanders can't have a press conference/media room where they do the same, but on the smaller scale? Because in terms of Islanders team news/announcements it doesn't get much bigger than today...And yet we only get a few people on twitter relaying quotes?

Come on Islanders? Do better. Give us a live stream of the announcement.

Well, the Leafs and Sportsnet are both owned by a media company, Rogers, for starters. The Leafs are the biggest content for their own sports network. Leafs content is pumped constantly, them and the Jay’s (also Rogers owned).

It’s one of the reasons I hate the Leafs so much… there’s 7 nhl teams in this country and the one they own gets 90+% of the coverage 24/7.

I’m sure if it wasn’t a Friday on a long weekend they’d have had a press conference. I’m sure there will be one next week when people are paying more attention to the news cycle.

 

[JKP]

To my knowledge it is not every GM/AGM move but on a case by case basis. There is no rule but if a GM/AGM has a contract that needs to be terminated then sometimes that team lets the GM/AGM out of the contract under the stipulation that the GM/AGM can’t participate in the new teams draft. I recall it happening a few times but not often.

Treliving was the last one I can remember hearing about.

“Chris Johnston confirmed that Treliving won't be a full participant at the upcoming draft. Given that he knows Calgary's plans for the draft, it makes sense and is common practice around the NHL.”

Draft limitations imposed on Treliving as part of agreement to allow him to take Leafs GM job

Find out here what some of the limitations are on new GM Brad Treliving until July 1st

www.mapleleafsdaily.com

Given we have the 1OA, I would imagine he’ll have a say on that since TBL wouldn’t have a conflict that high.

I’m sure this will be something he’s asked when they do a presser.

 

[doublechili]

So Darche has similar power as Zito, Nill and Brisebois. Looks like the Isles considered the most experienced guys and Darche. I wonder if the plan from the start was to hire just one guy? Also makes me think their intelligence at the start when asking around was that if they were going to hire an AGM, Darche was the only guy to hire. And they must have really liked what they saw in the interviews to feel comfortable enough to make him the GM/EVP with total authority for hockey.

 

[doublechili]

I bet we're getting Roy unleashed... picks his own staff this season. Apparently though there is chatter about Darche trying to bring over his friend Guy Boucher back over from Russia.

He might actually fit in with Roy - believe his most recent job was with Toronto as their PP coach, and he took the blame for one of their early exits. Former head coach of both Tampa and Ottawa, and got the the ECF with both. Supposed to be a super intense dude and has a crazy scar.

If I was Roy, I probably wouldn't love a former coach who is friends with the GM in the organization - that feels like an immediate hot seat. Still, that shit happens and it's part of the job.

Boucher had great success in his gigs in his first season and then crashed after that. Maybe too intense and the effect works short term and then wears off? Not sure if he'd take the BP coaching job, or if he'd be good at developing players?

 

[doublechili]

To my knowledge it is not every GM/AGM move but on a case by case basis. There is no rule but if a GM/AGM has a contract that needs to be terminated then sometimes that team lets the GM/AGM out of the contract under the stipulation that the GM/AGM can’t participate in the new teams draft. I recall it happening a few times but not often.

Correct. It's negotiated I'm sure. And probably more common if a head of scouting is involved, as someone said.

 

[seabass45]

Two possibilities I think (and both might be true):

1. Shanahan wanted to choose his own guys for GM, etc, but Isles wanted Darche
2. Differences of opinion on what direction to go in

 

[crashthenet]

But it's just such a ridiculous claim. Most teams in their Cup window aren't developing players. How many players have the final 4 teams this year developed in the past 3-5 years?

Developing players is what leads to you being a Cup contender. On top of that when you're a Cup contender you're picking in the late 20's each round, of not trading the pick as the Lightning have done, so you have less and less talented prospects in your system.

It's not a claim. It's an observation based on his experience. You're certainly not disagreeing that the focus of the Lightning front office wasn't player development, rebuilding a minor league franchise, moving out veteran players and managing the draft. So, what's so ridiculous when the tasking walking in the door here is to do those things. I'm not even saying that can't get that done but, he hasn't been in a front office that has been tasked with doing that.

To be clear, I understand fully what a team contending does but that's not what needs to be done here. Hopefully the right people are brought in around him to get things moving. I'm not sure Roy is one of those people so it will be interesting to see what his span of influence is.

 

[impaaaaaact]

Boucher had great success in his gigs in his first season and then crashed after that. Maybe too intense and the effect works short term and then wears off? Not sure if he'd take the BP coaching job, or if he'd be good at developing players?

He’s supposed to be super intense. He also runs a trap system. I think maybe players get tired

 

[Throttle]

Collin’s press release has two key bits in it:

- after hockey, he talks about ‘business initiatives’
- be ‘highly competitive’ next season and beyond.

Those both indicate there’s no rebuild coming. Darche had to have clearly identified how he is going to carve up this team in the offseason to be ‘highly competitive’ and Collins agreed with it.

For a GM/EVP position, seems like another appealing element of Darche vs others is how he’s been inside an organization like TB that’s grown its fanbase significantly and become embedded in TB life. Of course, winning is part of that equation, but a bunch of the other candidates were more traditionalists in just concentrating on hockey and not much about the rest of the organization. They want Darche to be broader.

 

[MJF]

Two possibilities I think (and both might be true):

1. Shanahan wanted to choose his own guys for GM, etc, but Isles wanted Darche
2. Differences of opinion on what direction to go in

So after reading the Isles press release it turns out there won't be a hire of POHO. Mathieu Darche will control all aspects of hockey ops.

While we're on the subject of Darche's hiring, the Isles have to do better than a press release on the day of such a major move. The team should have had a media availability, either in person or via Zoom. The current practice of doing things in the shadows has to change. It's the 21st century. The technology is there to have meetings with people not all in one room. The fans like to feel connected to their team.

 

[Konk]

"Mathieu Darche has both GM and EVP of Hockey titles. That second title is noteworthy. It’s basically president of hockey level."

So it was as I suspected and tried explain to a few posters yesterday.

So Darche has similar power as Zito, Nill and Brisebois. Looks like the Isles considered the most experienced guys and Darche. I wonder if the plan from the start was to hire just one guy? Also makes me think their intelligence at the start when asking around was that if they were going to hire an AGM, Darche was the only guy to hire. And they must have really liked what they saw in the interviews to feel comfortable enough to make him the GM/EVP with total authority for hockey.

That, plus Darche has VP experience outside of hockey. I'm sure that carried a lot of weight with Malkin.

 

[Throttle]

So after reading the Isles press release it turns out there won't be a hire of POHO. Mathieu Darche will control all aspects of hockey ops.

While we're on the subject of Darche's hiring, the Isles have to do better than a press release on the day of such a major move. The team should have had a media availability, either in person or via Zoom. The current practice of doing things in the shadows has to change. It's the 21st century. The technology is there to have meetings with people not all in one room. The fans like to feel connected to their team.

Agreed, considering the fans rely on two has been clickbaiters for info and a kid, I mean time to control the narrative yourself on this one.

Thinking Collins takes on a deeper role, maybe not so public, with the business side and the NHL to help Darche. Collins wants to be involved, he just needed time and wait out Lou. With Lou no longer controlling everything, Collins will get more involved. So, there might not really be a need for a POHO.

 

[Glorydays22]

Awwww...Very sweet.

Why don't you approve? I wasn't about to be a Jets fan. I have enough suffering in my life.

Leave my Jets alone! lol

 

[Glorydays22]

Two possibilities I think (and both might be true):

1. Shanahan wanted to choose his own guys for GM, etc, but Isles wanted Darche
2. Differences of opinion on what direction to go in

who cares, glad he's not here.....a Lou disciple.

 

[Glorydays22]

Darche wants to show he's in charge and not the ownership. First 2 moves

Fire - Lou's son and Roy

No new GM should start his term off with another GM hiring, especially at coaching.....