Islanders GM Mathieu Darche leaves no doubt over team's plan with 1st overall pick in 2025 NHL Draft

The New York Islanders are three days away from adding a number one overall draft pick to their organization.

It's been almost two months since the Isles hit the jackpot and jumped up nine spots to win the NHL draft lottery in shocking fashion. Once reality set in that they were now on the clock, they've spent that time dissecting who they're going to take with the prized selection.

General manager Mathieu Darche has been on the job for just over a month, but he's already made it clear that the Islanders will not be moving the first overall pick under any circumstances.

Team reporter Andrew Gross shared some of what the new GM had to say about the team's offseason plans, including with the first-overall pick, in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

"#Isles Mathieu Darche says he's still trying to sign all his free agents. Calls conversations with agents "cordial." Was asked specifically about Noah Dobson. On draft: "I'm not trading the one." Gross wrote.

It is widely expected that New York will take dynamic defenseman Matthew Schaefer from the Erie Otters of the OHL with the first overall pick. The 17-year-old is the consensus top prospect on most insiders' and scouts' draft rankings.

The Islanders would love to trade up for James Hagens

While selecting Matthew Schaefer will already result in a great draft for the New York Islanders, they have interest in making another splash.

Long Island native James Hagens has expressed his desire to play for his hometown team, and according to James Murphy of RG Media, sources aren't ruling out the possibility that the Islanders get creative.

Murphy wrote what his sources had to say in an article for RG Media, which shared the link on X.

"I know they [Islanders] are being creative and looking at multiple options,” the source told RG. “Why not keep the top pick, get [Matt] Schaefer and Hagens somehow?" Murphy wrote.

Coming away with both Matthew Schaefer and James Hagens would be phenomenal work by Mathieu Darche. There have been reports that the Utah Mammoth could be willing to part with the fourth overall pick; perhaps that is where opportunity lies for New York to swoop in.

The first round of the 2025 NHL draft goes down on Friday night at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, starting at 7 p.m. EST.