Mathieu Darche Named Islanders GM Ahead of 2025 NHL Season

The New York Islanders have hired Mathieu Darche as their next general manager.

TSN's Pierre LeBrun first reported the hire.

Darche will succeed Lou Lamoriello, who had run New York's front office from 2018-19. The Islanders let Lamoriello go after they missed the playoffs this season.

They reached the conference finals in 2020 and then the equivalent stage in the modified 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs bracket. But in the four years after losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games, New York was unable to advance past the first round in two postseason trips.

Coincidentally, Darche was on the opposite side for the Islanders' back-to-back exits at Tampa Bay's hands. He was the Lightning's director of hockey operations when they lifted the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021.

LeBrun noted the 48-year-old was garnering serious interest from around the league:

With Darche only receiving the title of general manager, the search for a president of hockey operations may continue. Sportsnet reported Thursday that New York received permission from the Toronto Maple Leafs to interview Brendan Shanahan, and Shanahan has since been let go.

According to The Athletic's Arthur Staple, that specific pursuit appears to be over:

Once the front office is fully assembled, charting the course forward will be the next step. It might be time to start a rebuild or at least reshuffle the roster in a significant way. One way or another, Darche will have a busy summer ahead.