Mathieu Darche’s cellphone retains ringing as he prepares for his first NHL draft as common supervisor of the New York Islanders, and he is certain of just one factor: They aren’t buying and selling the No. 1 decide, which is anticipated to be defenseman Matthew Schaefer on Friday.
“I am not buying and selling the 1, however you take a look at every part, proper?” Darche mentioned on a video name with reporters Tuesday. “Groups are calling you about varied choices. Each time you hear one thing could be happening, you name a group, and my job is to do my due diligence and see what’s on the market. Each single day, I am making an attempt to enhance the New York Islanders.
“I can not let you know all my secrets and techniques,” Darche mentioned. “… Everyone knows the expertise at this level. You are researching extra the character and personalities. You might be simply making an attempt to get as a lot info. There’s a couple of guys we like, and I do have an thought at this level, as a result of it is in 4 days. However we will maintain doing our due diligence all through Friday.”
Schaefer and a few facilities — Canadian Michael Misa and Swede Anton Frondell — are anticipated to be the highest three off the board. San Jose, which took Macklin Celebrini at No. 1 general final yr, and Chicago, which obtained Connor Bedard at No. 1 in 2023, have the second and third picks after New York.
“He is a powerful younger man,” Darche mentioned of Schaefer. “He is a hell of a participant. He is an awesome particular person. However having mentioned that, there’s a whole lot of different youngsters on the draft that we met which might be very spectacular. That is why I say, no matter who we decide on Friday, we’ll get a particular participant that is going to assist the New York Islanders pretty rapidly.”
With Lengthy Island native James Hagens additionally within the combine as a possible top-10 decide, there was loads of hypothesis concerning the Islanders making a commerce to get again into the primary half of the primary spherical to get each gamers.
“I am taking a look at every part,” Darche mentioned. “If I really feel the chance warrants that commerce, I will attempt it. … Whether or not it is transferring up within the draft with one other decide, whether or not it is buying one other decide, whether or not it is buying and selling one other decide to get a participant, I am taking a look at all choices to enhance our group.”
Hagens grew up in Hauppauge and went to Nassau Coliseum as a child. He nonetheless has the towel from his first playoff sport, and his buddies who’re Islanders followers have been pumped to see them win the draft lottery to get the primary decide.
It has began to look more and more unlikely that Hagens is the highest prospect on this draft, however that has not stopped people within the New York space from rooting for Darche to pick out him. Hagens has had folks strategy him on the golf course and just lately noticed a bumper sticker studying, “Carry Hagens Residence.”
“It was cool,” mentioned Hagans, a 5-foot-11 middle who was a point-a-game participant throughout his freshman season at Boston Faculty. “Moments like that, it places a smile in your face.”
The Related Press contributed to this report.
