Press Conference Highlights
At his inaugural press conference on Thursday, Mathieu Darche, the newly appointed general manager and executive vice president of the New York Islanders, confirmed that Patrick Roy will continue in his role as head coach. Roy, a prominent figure in hockey history, holds a record of 55 wins, 47 losses, and 17 overtime losses since taking over the coaching position from Lane Lambert on January 20, 2024. Although he concluded the recent season with a competitive 35-35-12 record, the team fell short of reaching the playoffs.
Coaching Changes
In a shake-up, Darche announced that assistant coaches John MacLean and Tommy Albelin would not be returning for the upcoming season.
Future Plans
Darche, who joins the Islanders after a successful tenure as the director of hockey operations with the Tampa Bay Lightning, expressed his strong intention to retain the prized top overall pick in the 2025 NHL draft.
“Someone would have to really knock my socks off to trade that pick,”
he stated, highlighting the significance of this opportunity for the franchise. The Islanders secured this coveted pick earlier this month, despite having only a 3.5% chance of winning the lottery as the team with the tenth-best odds.
Leadership Transition
The 48-year-old Darche takes over the Islanders organization following the departure of Lou Lamoriello, who concluded his seven-year stint last month. Under Lamoriello’s management, the team navigated ups and downs but ultimately did not succeed in reaching playoff aspirations in recent seasons. Darche’s previous experience is expected to bring a fresh perspective as he leads the charge into a new chapter for the franchise.
