Darche Grade So Far? F

New York Islander Fan Central | 3/09/2026 04:30:00 PM |
Sorry folks, I base the grade based on the decisions made, nothing else. The New York Islanders had a lot of bad contracts with term under Lou Lamoriello, Matthew Darche has only added to that list with a lot of poor-shortsighted decisions for old/limited players. This is not a fast, high-scoring or physical team, and as much as we may want to discuss the young talent waiting how is RD Isiah George, Kashawn Aitcheson going to replace Matthew Schaefer, Adam Pelech or Darche's 50 million dollar signing in Romanov?
I watched the decisions made since Darche came here, he had a year to wait with Noah Dobson, he could have qualified him or signed him, he did not have to do a long-term deal at that time. Instead we got the absolute best of Heineman until Roy made him a LW who stopped scoring. We got Drouin who looked done, and now Darche moved him (with a first/third) for another declining player in Brayden Schenn, who the Blues fans were thrilled with unloading, same as the Devils fans who want Fitzgerald gone cheered him for unloading Palat, who's now in the top six and not producing. Even worse Calum Ritchie, and Matt Barzal are permanent wingers so Pageau could bounce in a goal every month or so, as players beat him in the defensive zone. Let's not even touch for today Drouin being setup for a powerplay goal Ray Bennett could not draw up for two years. Of course we can always touch resigning awful Palmieri who's not missed, and gave this team nothing offensively, and was good for being toasted for a goal or two against a game.
Nothing personal here, if Darche got team younger, faster, more offensive with some guys who can hit/fight no problem. Now they seemed boxed in to being old/slow/soft/poor scoring that produced two goals or less in about 14/20 games now have to play for 1/1-2/1 games. The facts are hidden in all those overtime wins where the truth is you take away those games they are a mile out of contention. And the core with Sorokin, Schaefer, Pelech, Pulock, Holmstrom, Ritchie, Barzal put them in contention with nothing around them.

Darche Press Conference

New York Islander Fan Central | 3/06/2026 06:34:00 PM |

New York Trades Drouin For Brayden Schenn + 1st/3rd/Prospect

New York Islander Fan Central | 3/06/2026 03:22:00 PM |
Full trade: Schenn to Isles for 1st, 3rd, Drouin and Gidlof (goalie prospect)
Tough trade for New York, big money for an aging player struggling on a bad team for the next two years, who is a center. Gidlof's agent made clear he's not coming to a team with a #1. (Sorokin) I know it's a sellers market but all this does is push Barzal to wing long-term. Darche did not get a rental but swapped one problem for another.
The Blues play the Sharks tonight in San Jose, NYI are in the same hotel so Schenn is already with NYI, he did have to waive his NTC.
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Disgusted

Playoff Math For New York/Friday Trade Deadline/Darche

New York Islander Fan Central | 3/04/2026 11:24:00 AM |
Simply put this is not the playoff cut off of the last few seasons where 91 points was the eighth seed. New York as of this writing is fourteen over, far above any of my expectations all season but we know the forward scoring is not the reason. Friday will tell is alot about where Matthew Darche is.

New York Finds Another Overtime Win/Schaefer Record

New York Islander Fan Central | 2/27/2026 07:52:00 AM |
I wrote a while back if the New York Islanders win 82 games being outshot/outplayed with 1-0, 2-1, 3-2 wins off bounces, so be it. It kind of what happens in so many ugly games where 5/5 goals or powerplay goals do not happen. Having written they scored down late with Sorokin out. In over time no one is better, they don't gamble keep opposition outside force a turnover and find a way to score, it's unconventional but it sure does work. You could see them force Montreal to angles, and not commit to an all or nothing play on defense. As soon as you saw Holmstrom against Dobson, a turnover was coming with the chance to score. Pageau did what he does best (not the three goals he was on the ice for in regulation) and finished to steal two more points.
It's hard to remember Schaefer is eighteen, he skates and holds puck like he's twenty six, and rested he's going to have more jump with the NHL's worst powerplay why not shoot? So many invisible forwards. But again the played good defense, keep the shots against down (especially in the third period) and found a way to get the game to overtime. Does it continue? Columbus had a forty shot loss (finally) and Florida I do not suspect will go quietly after a 5-1 win against Toronto.
Too many non-scorers who don't score or hit. I suspect Shabanov is gone at the deadline, Roy has his forward group of non-scorers.
What's the right way to win? A few 4-1 wins where the offense carries the defense, something almost unheard of for this group. #13-14-10 are about it for the scoring. Roy put Heineman on LW earlier and he never got back what was working early, and he seems stuck with Drouin. 64 is not getting his numbers, neither is Lee. Duclair plays himself onto the bench with his lack of skating, 16-53-32 are not scorers and only eat ice time. Too many forwards who will not produce.