Mathieu Darche named Islanders' general manager

The Islanders officially are Mathieu Darche’s to run.

The team on Friday named the 48-year-old Darche — the Lightning’s assistant general manager/director of hockey operations — as GM/executive vice president, ending a search to find a successor to Lou Lamoriello  that lasted nearly a month.

“I am truly honored by the opportunity,” Darche said in a statement released by the team. “I’d like to thank [majority owner] Scott Malkin, [co-owner] Jon Ledecky, [operating partner] John Collins and the entire ownership group for entrusting me with the hockey operations of this great franchise.”

The Islanders said the Montreal native will “manage all aspects of the team’s hockey operations,” meaning they will not hire a president above him.

Darche spent three seasons as the Lightning’s assistant GM to Julien BriseBois after joining the organization in 2019 as director of hockey operations. The Lightning won the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021, defeating the Islanders in the NHL semifinals both seasons. He also was a member of the NHL Players’ Association negotiating team during the 2012-13 owners’ lockout.

He worked with BriseBois on player personnel decisions and player development as well as salary-cap management and contract preparation. Darche also was heavily involved in analytics work, and the Islanders are known to want to expand their analytics department for next season.

A left wing, Darche played 250 NHL regular-season games for the Blue Jackets, Predators, Sharks, Lightning and Canadiens in a professional career that lasted from 2000-2012.

The Islanders announced on April 22 that Lamoriello’s contract would not be renewed after seven seasons, including five playoff appearances, as president/general manager.

Collins conducted the search for the Islanders’ new boss.

“Mathieu is the perfect choice to lead our hockey operations,” Collins said in a statement. “He will be given every resource available to put the Islanders first-in-class on the ice, with our business initiatives, and in the community. He is a proven winner and is committed, as is our ownership group, to building a group that will be highly competitive next season and beyond.”

In addition to Darche, Kings senior adviser Marc Bergevin, the former Canadiens GM, also had multiple interviews with the Islanders. The Islanders had requested to speak with Brendan Shanahan, who announced on Thursday that his contract as Maple Leafs president was not being renewed after 11 seasons.

The Islanders also showed interest in former Red Wings and Oilers GM Ken Holland, who instead agreed to become the Kings’ new GM. Bergevin will remain with the Kings to advise Holland. The search started with the Islanders hoping to speak with Canadiens executive vice president Jeff Gorton, the former Rangers GM. But the Canadiens did not grant the Islanders permission.

Now that the search is over, the Islanders’ new hire has a lengthy and immediate to-do list.

Darche’s first priority seemingly would be deciding on whether he can work with coach (and fellow French-Canadian) Patrick Roy.

Roy, in the midst of a multiyear contract, is 55-47-17 since replacing Lane Lambert on Jan. 20, 2024. The Islanders missed the playoffs by nine points this past season after going 35-35-12.

If Roy remains with the Islanders, he likely will want to hire his own staff. Assistant coaches John MacLean and Tommy Albelin both played for the Devils when Lamoriello ran that franchise, and Lamoriello worked with goalie coach Piero Greco while he was the Maple Leafs’ GM.

Lamoriello’s management and scouting staff remains intact for now. That includes assistant GM Chris Lamoriello, who doubles as the GM of the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.

There also is the NHL Draft to prepare for on June 27-28 in Los Angeles — the NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo is the first week of June — and the Islanders own the first overall pick after winning the NHL Draft Lottery despite having only a 3.5% chance of doing so.

“With the Islanders owning the first overall pick in the upcoming NHL Draft and preparing to welcome the Olympic sendoff at UBS Arena next season, there is much to which our franchise, our players, and our passionate fans can look forward,” Collins said. “Mathieu’s arrival adds to that momentum.”

NHL free agency opens on July 1. Smithtown’s Kyle Palmieri is a pending unrestricted free agent and defensemen Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov are key restricted free agents.

The first NHL buyout period begins either on June 15 or 48 hours after the Stanley Cup Final ends, whichever date is later. That runs through June 30, and there potentially are decisions to be made on defenseman Scott Mayfield and forward Pierre Engvall, both entering the third season of seven-season deals.

By Andrew Gross

andrew.gross@newsday.comAGrossNewsday

Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.