The New York Islanders hired Mathieu Darche as their new general manager this spring. Lou Lamoriello’s reign is over after seven years, with some solid playoff performances in that run. But their aging core needed a new person at the helm. So, they brought in the former Tampa Bay Lightning Assistant GM for a massive offseason ahead. It would be a dream if the Isles could land Mitch Marner. But how does Darche avoid the Islanders’ nightmare in NHL free agency?
The Islanders will have over $22 million in cap space when free agency opens on July 1, according to CapWages. They have a few big conversations to answer before looking outside of the organization for free agency. One of those names is the biggest nightmare situation the Islanders could create. If Noah Dobson wants to be paid as a top-ten defenseman in the league, they have to walk away from their former first-round pick.
Dobson had one excellent offensive season, picking up 60 assists in 2023-24. In his five other NHL seasons, he has not cracked 38 helpers. And Dobson’s best skills come in the offensive zone, as his defensive prowess leaves a lot to be desired at times. Playing with Alexander Romanov, the other big question on defense, has helped a little. But not enough for Dobson to be the next $9 million defenseman.
Romanov won’t command that type of salary and could be back on the Islanders on a team-friendly deal. He took a step forward this season and should be a part of their core moving forward. As for replacing Dobson, Tony DeAngelo was much better on the power play and could stay on Long Island.
Messing up this defensive core could be the first thing that costs Darche with the Islanders. If they do not improve their offense, it will be a nightmare free-agency period.
The Islanders need more offense this offseason
During his introductory press conference, Darche said that the Islanders were good enough to be a playoff team in 2024-25. Despite them missing the postseason by nine points, there are some talented players on their team. Most of them got hurt during the season, specifically Mathew Barzal, who played only 30 games. Just because there were injuries last year does not mean the Islanders do not need more offense.
At the NHL trade deadline, the Islanders traded Brock Nelson for a 2026 first-round pick and the Avalanche’s top prospect, Calum Ritchie. While Ritchie could make the team out of camp, asking him to replace Nelson’s offense is unrealistic in his first NHL season. There are three elite wingers available in free agency, and the Islanders can make trades to pick up other players.
If Darche does not add a Mitch Marner, Nikolaj Ehlers, Brock Boeser, or Marco Rossi-type this offseason, it would be a nightmare. Now, it does not have to be one of those players specifically. Andrew Mangiapane, Mikael Granlund, Sam Bennett, Viktor Olofsson, or Andrei Kuzmenko would also work as options. With Nelson gone, the Islanders are down 30 goals per season from their peak years. That needs to be replaced as soon as possible.
The Islanders going into next year with the same forward core that ended last season would be an unmitigated disaster. After trading Nelson, they went 7-9-5 to finish the season. Every one of those losses was worth it, as it landed them the first-overall pick. But it shows just how inept they would be with only Bo Horvat as an elite option up front. Barzal was out for all of these games as well, but he should be back in the fall.
The Islanders need change on both sides of the puck this offseason. Their new general manager deciding they don’t would be an epic failure.
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