Islanders' GM Mathieu Darche breaks silence on No. 1 pick offers, makes feelings known about Matthew Schaefer

New York Islanders GM Mathieu Darche opened up about the offers he received for the team’s first-overall pick in the 2025 NHL draft, while making his opinion clear on Matthew Schaefer.

In a conversation with NHL insider Jeff Marek published on Aug. 6, Darche had this to say about the offers, or lack thereof, the team received for the top pick in June’s draft:

“Well, there was no really offers. A few, a few teams called just like, Hey, would you, what are your plans? And right away I would just say I'm picking, you know, so there was never offers.”

Darche’s comments underscore how committed the club was to using its first-overall pick on a high-end prospect like Schaefer. Darche was also honest about the fact that he couldn’t take credit for landing the top pick. That was the doing of Ken Morrow, Darche explained.

The Islanders’ GM went on to explain that he wasn’t keen on moving the pick, trusting that his scouts had it right.

He added:

“So I wasn't moving the pick, and obviously I didn't know the player as well as our scouts.”

The scouts were keen on taking Schaefer with the first-overall pick. That conviction made it easy for Mathieu Darche to pull the trigger on landing Schaefer with the Islanders’ first-round pick.

Darche went on to declare the following about Schaefer:

“I've seen Matthew before. He got hurt at the Junior World Championship. And, you know, like, obviously, once I got this job, I watched quite a bit on him, and it was a clear cut for me that he was going to be—he was going to be our guy.”

In hindsight, Mathieu Darche’s words highlight just how far the Islanders were from trading the top-overall pick despite the flurry of rumors circulating. Now, the Islanders will be looking to bring one of the most anticipated defense prospects into the NHL sooner rather than later.

Mathieu Darche impressed by Schaefer’s maturity

The Islanders GM praised Matthew Schaefer’s attitude, specifically after meeting him in person. In particular, it was the 17-year-old’s maturity beyond his years that caught Mathieu Darche’s attention:

“It just reinforced it once I met him at a combine. The kid is an impressive young man. The maturity is beyond his years, and I mean, this is all great to hold the maturity; the whole thing is already dealt with, the adversities had.”

Schaefer’s adversity has been marked by the loss of his mother at a young age. Nevertheless, his resilience has helped the Islanders’ top prospect rise above the challenges and become one of the most talented up-and-coming NHL stars.

Check out Marek’s conversation with Darche here:

Rob Taub

@rtaub_

Islanders' GM Mathieu Darche breaks silence on No. 1 pick offers, makes feelings known about Matthew Schaefer

Ultimately, Schaefer’s talent and maturity were enough to convince the New York Islanders that he was the right player for their pick. It’s just a matter of time before Schaefer makes his NHL debut. That could happen as soon as this fall, though it remains to be seen if he’ll be ready for it.