New York Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche met with the media on Wednesday to discuss the team's performance after the quarter-mark of the 2025-26 season. He provided updates on key injuries and expressed openness to players representing Canada at the 2026 Olympics. Darche highlighted the team's defensive improvements and playoff positioning.
Mathieu Darche, the New York Islanders' general manager and executive vice president, spoke to reporters on Wednesday afternoon, offering insights into the team's challenges and strengths midway through the first quarter of the 2025-26 NHL season.
Injury updates dominated the discussion. Center Jean-Gabriel Pageau is expected to return from an upper-body injury before Christmas. Goaltender Semyon Varlamov, who has not played since November 29, 2024, is recovering from knee surgery with no set timetable. "It’s a big rehab, so he’s taking the time that he needs," Darche said. "We’re giving him all the help he can get, and we’ll see where it goes." Defenseman Alexander Romanov faces a 5-6 month absence after shoulder surgery, prompting recalls from the Bridgeport Islanders. Prospects Marshall Warren and Travis Mitchell have each been called up twice this season, with Mitchell's latest recall on Wednesday, though he is slated to be a healthy scratch.
Darche emphasized the team's depth and his ongoing search for improvements. "I’m comfortable with giving the guys a chance, but my job is to always look, and if we have options to improve the team, I’ll do it," he stated.
On international fronts, Darche confirmed that defenseman Matthew Schaefer will not join Team Canada for the World Juniors but would support his participation in the 2026 Winter Olympics, where Schaefer has been added to the testing pool. "He should be very proud that at 18 years old, at minimum, he’s in the conversation," Darche said. "Now they have probably another month or five weeks before they name teams, and we'll see what happens."
Darche also advocated for captain Bo Horvat's Olympic consideration, citing his 14 goals—tied for third in the NHL—and versatility across positions.
The Islanders sit third in the Metropolitan Division and fourth in the Eastern Conference with 28 points, holding a playoff spot. Darche praised their defensive growth, including a 91.4% penalty kill (fourth in the NHL) and 2.08 goals against per game (also fourth) in November. "What I like is the way we’ve progressed," he noted. "Our defensive game has really improved in the last few weeks. In the beginning of the year, we changed the system and there was some adjustment, but we’ve been a lot better."