Mathieu Darche explains why tearing down the NY Islanders was never an option

New York Islanders v New Jersey Devils | Bruce Bennett/GettyImagesWhen Mathieu Darche took over as general manager of the New York Islanders in May, many wondered if his arrival would mark the beginning of a major rebuild. But in his first conversations with the players, Darche made his stance crystal clear: there would be no teardown on Long Island.

“In the first week after I got the job, I spoke with every player on the team and I told them, ‘I’m not tearing it down,’” Darche said in The Athletic. His conviction comes from a belief that last season’s struggles were more circumstantial than structural.

The Islanders were ravaged by injuries in 2024-25, particularly on the blue line, where…