"They've got holes to fill" - NHL insider weighs in on Mathieu Darche hire, impact on Patrick Roy's future with Isles 

The New York Islanders have named Mathieu Darche as their new general manager, taking over for Lou Lamoriello. Darche had been an assistant GM with the Tampa Bay Lightning since 2019, helping them win back-to-back Stanley Cup titles.

With Darche now at the helm, one of his first big decisions will involve head coach Patrick Roy. Roy took over the Islanders midway through last season after the firing of Lane Lambert.

According to NHL insider David Pagnotta, Darche will have full authority over Roy's future. Roy has one year left on his current contract, followed by a three-year extension that kicks in. Pagnotta believes Darche will have an initial conversation with Roy and likely meet further to discuss the overall direction of the team.

“I'm sure Darche is going to want to have input from Patrick Roy with respect to the structure and the style of this group and where the holes truly are for this team.” Pagnotta said on "NHL Now".

Pagnotta also noted that this will not be a full rebuild, but rather more of a retooling as the Islanders try to remain a playoff contender. With plenty of cap flexibility, Darche and Roy can shape the roster as they see fit.

“Moving forward, they've got holes to fill. There's going to be a lot of flexibility with respect to this roster and how this is going to be filled out.

"Roy's input will be paramount in terms of the decisions that Darche is going to make moving forward, both in the immediate going into next season, they want to be a contender again," he added.

Pagnotta believes Patrick Roy's coaching insights will be invaluable as Mathieu Darche makes decisions about the roster composition for next season and beyond.

New York Islanders new GM – Mathieu Darche

Mathieu Darche is set to kick off his tenure with a major advantage: the Islanders’ surprise win in the draft lottery secured them the No. 1 pick. On top of that, he’ll have over $26 million in cap space, according to PuckPedia, to reshape a roster in need of elite talent.

In a statement, Mathieu Darche said via Sportsnet:

"I am truly honoured by the opportunity to be the New York Islanders General Manager and Executive Vice President. I’d like to thank Scott Malkin, Jon Ledecky, John Collins, and the entire ownership group for entrusting me with the hockey operations of this great franchise."

The Islanders finished this season with a 35-35-12 record, landing sixth in the Metropolitan Division. With 82 points in 82 games, they fell short of making the playoffs.