The Islanders didn’t make the kind of splash that quiets an irritated fan base, and Mathieu Darche isn’t pretending otherwise.
With Anders Lee gone to Utah on a three-year, $16.2 million deal and the team’s summer shopping limited mostly to depth additions - forwards Matius Maccelli and Mitchell Chaffee, defenseman Matt Kessel and goalie Vitek Vanecek, all on one-year contracts - plenty of Islanders supporters have looked at the offseason and come away underwhelmed. That reaction makes sense for a club that missed the 2026 postseason by eight points, even after bringing in Matthew Schaefer and staying in the playoff mix for most of the year.
Darche, though, pushed back on the idea that the summer was somehow a failure. Speaking Wednesday at the Cross Island YMCA in Bellerose, where the Islanders worked with the YMCA of Greater New York and KABOOM! to build a new playground, the general manager framed the roster choices as part of a longer plan.
“People will always have opinions,” he said.
He pointed back to what he said a year ago, when he believed the roster would stay largely intact for a couple of seasons. In his view, the club’s previous moves mostly shifted contracts around rather than opening the door to major additions. That reality, combined with rising salaries across the league, has shaped how he wants to handle the next stretch.
“And as we have expiring contracts, some of the expiring contracts, we might re-sign them at the end of the year if we feel they can still contribute to us and if we find a common agreement. And again, I felt last year outside the last three weeks of the season, we were there all year.
Were we sometimes getting away with more than we should have? Yes, I won't lie.
And going 10-0 in overtime, I hope we do the same thing this year. But realistically, the odds are against you to never lose a game in overtime.”
Darche also pointed to health as a major factor. He mentioned the need for Kyle Palmieri, Alexander Romanov and Pierre Engvall to come back strong after season-ending injuries, and he expects more growth from Cal Ritchie, Emil Heineman and Simon Holmstrom.
The biggest piece, in his mind, is still Schaefer - along with the structure Pete DeBoer has brought in.
“Another year of Schaefer, and [coach Pete DeBoer’s] system - that's one of the big acquisitions of the summer, even though it happened at the end of the year,” Darche said. “With the structure we're going to play, I think it's going to make a big difference.
“But it's a battle, right? You have a 50% chance of making the playoffs when you think of it around the league, and it's going to be competitive.
So I think we're a contender for the playoffs. That's going to be our goal, and we'll adjust accordingly depending how the season goes.”
In Other News...
Islanders Transition Plan Could Decide How Fast This Roster Changes
Mathieu Darche has made it clear the Islanders are in a transitional phase, but not the kind that calls for tearing everything down or fast-tracking every young player at the first sign of promise. The general manager said the organization is trying to balance present-day competitiveness with the long view, leaning on a veteran core while also creating room for prospects to grow into larger roles at the right pace.
That approach matters because New York has loaded up on premium draft talent in recent years and now has to decide how quickly those players should start influencing the roster. The Islanders still believe they can battle for a playoff spot this season, which makes the timing tricky: there is a real incentive to stay competitive now, but also a clear need to avoid forcing young players into the NHL before they are ready. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders May Already Have Their Biggest Blue-Line Boost In House
Alexander Romanovs return is starting to look like the kind of internal upgrade the Islanders have been waiting for on the blue line. General manager Mathieu Darche said the defenseman has been back on the ice for three weeks after missing most of last season with a shoulder injury, and the early signs are encouraging. Romanov also looks lighter, and the team believes his presence could meaningfully strengthen a defense that needed help.
For the Islanders, the appeal is obvious: if Romanov can get back to being a steady, physical option, it changes the shape of the back end without requiring outside help. Darches update suggests the organization is optimistic about where Romanov is headed, but the real question is how quickly he can turn that progress into a regular-season impact once the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]
Kyle Palmieri Enters Islanders Camp With One Huge Question
Kyle Palmieri arrives at Islanders camp with a familiar kind of weight on his shoulders, only this time it is not about production alone. The veteran winger is expected to be back in the mix after missing the rest of last season, and his status matters on a team trying to sort out roles under a new coach while still getting value from experienced forwards who can do a little of everything.
What makes Palmieri especially worth watching now is how much hinges on what comes next. He is headed into a contract year, and the Islanders have to decide not just how he fits in the lineup, but whether his place on the roster looks the same once camp opens and the decisions start getting made in earnest. [Read more 🡒]