Evan Gold doesn’t sound like someone looking at the New York Islanders as a team starting from scratch. He sees a club in the middle of a shift - one with enough established pieces to matter now, and enough upside to make the next step feel real.
On The Sheet podcast Tuesday, the Islanders assistant general manager and general manager of the Hamilton Hammers said his view of the organization hasn’t changed much since he was on the outside with the Boston Bruins.
“I don't know that it's any different than how I saw them now really, which is sort of a transitional team,” Gold said.
That transition is the whole story here. Gold pointed to the veteran core already in place, the team’s strong goaltending and Matthew Schaefer, whom he described as a potentially “generational defenseman.”
Schaefer is heading into his second NHL season after winning the Calder Trophy as a rookie, and he’s quickly become the focal point of the Islanders’ future. Gold also sees Peter DeBoer as another key piece in the organization’s push to move from transition back toward contention.
“Now with Pete here, especially, I think, you know, a veteran coach who's had tremendous success pretty much everywhere he's gone,” Gold said.
Gold joined Mathieu Darche’s front office this offseason, and the attraction was more than just the job title. He said his personal relationship with Darche, along with the chance to help shape the next version of the Islanders, made the opportunity stand out.
“That all of that together and what I think we could build here is what was really exciting for me,” Gold said.
The important part of Gold’s description is what it leaves out: this isn’t a full rebuild. The Islanders still have experienced players expected to carry major roles, and the belief inside the organization is that they can compete now. At the same time, Schaefer’s rise, the push from younger players for bigger roles and a new leadership group all point to a team trying to build something different.
Gold clearly thinks that process is already in motion.
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