Islanders New GM Sets Surprising Core

The New York Islanders aren’t far removed from naming Mathieu Darche as their newest general manager, and he’s already setting a high standard for his players. The Islanders missed out on the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but Darche has highlighted a few key names that will lead the team back to the dance.

A lot of talk gets made around the NHL about a team’s “core,” and the Islanders are no different. While some teams have a more defined core than others, Darche made sure to outline exactly who he believes are the centerpieces of the Islanders organization.

According to Darche on TVA Sports, the Islanders’ core consists of star goalie Ilya Sorokin, defensemen Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov, and forward Mat Barzal and Bo Horvat.

Captain Anders Lee was not listed by name while veteran defensemen Ryan Pukock and Adam Pelech are locked up long-term but might not be around for the duration of their deals.

This isn’t a totally surprising list of names to be considered the heartbeat of the team, and all but guarantees names like Dobson and Romanov aren’t going anywhere.

Sorokin, Barzal, and Horvat are all locked into long-term contracts, but Dobson and Romanov are due new deals this offseason.

Dobson and Romanov are both restricted free agents, giving the Islanders first dibs. Despite largely unimpressive seasons, high praise from a new general manager almost certainly guarantees they are in for long-term deals.

The core is the group of players you hold close and are the foundation of a team to build on. With two top forwards, a star goalie, and defensemen with tons of room to grow, Darche likes his combination.

Dobson led all Islanders defensemen in points in each of the last four seasons and is still just 25 years old. In 388 career games, he has 50 goals and 180 assists for 220 total points.

Romanov was originally a Montreal Canadiens draft pick but has been given a great opportunity to succeed with the Islanders. He’s posted at least 20 points in each of his three seasons on Long Island and has a ton of career ahead of him, also at 25 years old.

The Islanders are likely going to see a ton of change without Lou Lamoriello at the helm. Darche will want to morph the team in his image, but these key faces have already made quite the impression.