Mathieu Darche didn’t bring Evan Gold into the Islanders’ front office just to fill a chair. He brought him in because he sees a future NHL general manager.
That future, though, is part of the reason Darche is already thinking a few steps ahead. The Islanders’ GM hopes Gold’s rise doesn’t come so quickly that it leaves New York hunting for another smart voice in the room.
Darche said the two had built a relationship over several years while working for rival organizations, with Darche in Tampa Bay and Gold in a similar role in Boston. Their paths crossed often across the regular season, the playoffs and the annual AHL meetings, and that familiarity helped shape the move to bring Gold aboard as assistant general manager.
“I felt he was a great complement to what I do,” Darche said.
Gold arrives with a résumé that looks different from Darche’s. He was not a former NHL player.
Instead, he comes in as a lawyer with an MBA, along with experience from two organizations that know how to win. Before joining the Islanders, Gold worked with the Bruins under Don Sweeney and had previously spent time with the Capitals during some of the franchise’s strongest seasons.
To Darche, that mix matters. He believes Gold’s legal, business and hockey background gives him a different lens on the job and makes the Islanders’ operation stronger.
“He complements our team very well,” Darche said.
Gold’s responsibilities don’t stop with the NHL side, either. He also serves as general manager of the Hamilton Hammers, adding another layer to his workload with player development and roster construction at the AHL level.
Darche is clear that he doesn’t see Gold as an assistant forever.
“He’s an aspiring GM,” Darche said. “Eventually, he will be.”
That is high praise, but it also creates a reality the Islanders may have to deal with down the line. If Gold keeps building his reputation, other NHL teams could eventually come calling when GM jobs open up.
For now, Darche wants to keep him close.
“I just hope I have him for a few years,” Darche said.
For an organization trying to modernize its hockey operations and build something sustainable, holding onto the right executives may matter almost as much as developing the right players.
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