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Jonathan Drouin, Colorado Avalanche (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)

Islanders’ Mathieu Darche Had Good But Not Great First Free Agency as GM

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Mike Fink | Last updated Jul 2, 2025 1:45 PM ET

The New York Islanders were busy on day one of free agency, both re-signing players and bringing in talent from outside the organization. Mathieu Darche has only been the general manager (GM) for a few months, but he is already showing what type of GM he wants to be.

The moves weren’t big, bringing in Jonathan Drouin, Ethan Bear, and David Rittich. However, they added depth, which the Islanders need. Overall, Darche played it safe while not taking a swing, which might be the best move, given where the team is at right now.

Islanders Add Depth

The way the Metropolitan Division is shaping up, the Islanders will be in the middle of the pack next season. They are good enough to make a push for a playoff spot, but if things go south, they can continue retooling.

Drouin will slide into the middle of the forward unit and add offense. He won’t take over games, but he’ll consistently score 10 goals or more while contributing 30 assists. Bear is another defenseman who can play on the third pair, while Rittich will be the extra goaltender in case the 36-year-old Semyon Varlamov isn’t healthy to begin the season or can’t be counted on as a backup.

The Islanders were expected to retool, especially after the Noah Dobson trade to the Montreal Canadiens and a draft class that revamped the prospect pool. With Bo Horvat, Mathew Barzal, Ilya Sorokin, and the recently extended Alexander Romanov leading the way, the Islanders will be competitive next season, especially with these additions. It’s what Darche wants, even as he loads up on prospects and has them develop for a season or two.

Darche Also Immediately Upgraded Bridgeport

The Bridgeport Islanders were historically bad last season, even by American Hockey League (AHL) standards, where the gap between teams is greater than in the NHL. Darche noted early on in his tenure how important it was to have the AHL team playing well and creating a winning environment for their younger players. It takes a lot to clean up a team that only won four home games in six months, but Darche is off to an impressive start.

The first big move was the Rocky Thompson hire, as the Islanders have a young coach who doesn’t have a unique system but will get the most out of the prospects. Then they made their big signing by bringing back Chris Terry. The veteran is coming off a season of 19 goals and 47 assists as a great player on a terrible team, but his presence is more important as a mentor.

On top of that, Darche signed Bear and Rittich, who will also help the AHL team. Bear moved up and down between the Hershey Bears and Washington Capitals last season, and with the Islanders, he’ll play a depth role at the NHL level and be an anchor of the unit in the AHL. Rittich, meanwhile, will be a starter in Bridgeport and provide stability in the net if Varlamov is healthy.

It’s impossible to rebuild overnight. Darche isn’t trying to do that, and it’s about the long-term vision for the team. He made the right moves to ensure the Islanders aren’t a bottom-feeder next season, and at the same time, he’s building up a strong infrastructure for the organization’s prospects. The AHL team won’t be the best in the league next season, but adding Bear and Rittich will go a long way in helping the cause.

Should Darche Make a Splash?

There’s still a path for Darche to make a big move. The team doesn’t have much salary cap space after their free-agent signings and the Simon Holmstrom contract. However, if the Islanders trade Jean-Gabriel Pageau, they should open up enough to sign Nikolaj Ehlers or make a run at restricted free agent (RFA) Marco Rossi.

Then again, Darche still has a lot of in-house work to do. The Islanders must re-sign their RFAs, Marc Gatcomb, Emil Heineman, and Maxim Tsyplakov. Assuming he takes care of that, the Islanders will be at the cap and call it a day on the offseason.

Darche doesn’t need to make a splash yet. This offseason was good enough for an Islanders team at a fork in the road. They head into next season with options, and by the trade deadline, they’ll either make more additions or lean into the retool. This was a good time for Darche to play it safe. Eventually, he will be asked to make a swing, something every successful GM does at some point to get their team over the hump.