Many expected this offseason to be one of significant change for the New York Islanders. After the dismissal of long-time President of Hockey Operations Lou Lamoriello, people were excited to see what fresh ideas the new General Manager, Mathieu Darche, had. How was he going to address the holes on the roster, and what direction did he feel was best for the Islanders?

While there is still time to make moves, the offseason is all but wrapped up, and Islanders fans have a lot to be excited about. It’s easily one of the smartest offseasons the club has had in years. The major thing that Darche did this offseason was put the team in a position to compete for a playoff spot this season. However, they’ve also improved the prospect pool, keeping the future bright. The Islanders are in a position to sustain success.

Mathieu Darche have put the Islanders in position to compete without selling the future

The major acquisition for the Islanders this offseason was signing Jonathan Drouin to a two-year deal with an average annual value of $4 million. Last season, Drouin racked up 11 goals and 26 assists for 37 points. However, during the 2023-24 season, he posted 56 points, the highest point total of his career. The main issue for Drouin has been consistency, as evidenced by his point total. However, with him playing on a top line with Bo Horvat and Kyle Palmieri, as well as being on power play one, he could be in store for his best season point-wise—a significant upgrade for their top six.

Drouin wasn’t the only upgrade to the forward group. The Islanders also signed Maxim Shabanov, a highly touted Russian forward, who should bring his offensive upside to the bottom six. This gives the Islanders three lines that can get the puck into the back of the net. When you have a goaltender like Ilya Sorokin, you just need to be able to score two or three goals a night to win—something this group can easily do.

Although the blue line took a hit when the Islanders traded Noah Dobson, they got a perfect replacement in Matthew Schaffer. The first-round pick in this year’s draft has been praised for skating, which he uses to make a significant impact on the offense and defense. He also cost the Isles $8.5 million less, and could easily exceed the production that Dobson put up.

The Dobson also went a long way to keeping the Islanders competitive for an extended period of time. In exchange for Dobson, the Canadiens sent two first-round picks along with 23-year-old forward Emil Heineman. The first two round picks landed the Islanders Victor Eklund and Kashawn Aitcheson, two high upside prospects. This trade can give the Islanders three core pieces for their next window of contention.

While this offseason didn’t make the Islanders favorites for the Stanley Cup, it’s a step in the right direction. The team got better before the 2025-26 season, while also having an eye on the future. If the Islanders are able to find sustain success, we’ll come back to this offseason as what started it all.