Can the New York Islanders overcome last season’s injury woes and secure a postseason berth?
Gil Martin analyzes GM Matthew Darche’s optimistic outlook on the current roster and dissects recent coaching additions Ray Bennett and Bob Boughner. The discussion covers NHL Draft combine insights, with a focus on potential first overall pick Matthew Schaefer. Martin also provides an in-depth look at Alexander Romanov’s performance and contract situation, while paying tribute to Islanders legend Brent Sutter.
Tune in for expert analysis on the Islanders’ offseason moves and their impact on the team’s future.
All this and more on today’s Locked On Islanders Podcast with Gil Martin.
Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!
GametimeToday’s episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNHLfor $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply.
Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNHL at monarchmoney.com for 50% off your first year.
Wonderful PistachiosGet snackin’ and get crackin’ with the snack that packs a protein punch. Visit WonderfulPistachios.com to learn more!
FanDuelToday’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now, new FanDuel customers can get TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS in Bonus Bets if your first FIVE DOLLAR bet wins!
FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)
Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOIslanders?sid=YouTube
Locked On NHL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Prospects & More
🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNHL
And follow the show and Gil Martin on Twitter where he’ll share the latest news on your New York Islanders and will talk with fans like you.
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/LockedOnIsles
and https://twitter.com/icewarsnyrvsnyi
#Islanders #NYIslanders #NHL
26 Comments
Thank Goodness for New Qualified Coaches! Darche is a puppet to the owners who know nothing about building a team that starts with draft picks and prospects. More of the same as owners want a now team which is the same philosophy as what Lou had! Hey 👋 owners build it with quality draft picks and prospects and the Fans will come! Honestly our Owners are the problem and should sell the team if they are not interested in building the team the way it should be. Sad owners can’t see it is about the product they put on the ice! You have a bad show and you have no one wanting to spend hard earned money to see garbage on ice! We will just have more of the same it seems or is Darche a master of illusion saying one thing and doing another 🙏. Build a future or enjoy a team going nowhere for 5 to 10 years
Another year older and slower. Ownership should allow Darche to try and move Lee, JGP, Mayfield and Casey. Keep Pelech as a mentor to Schaefer.
I think Darche is both waiting to see who’s who and wants to maximize his return on players at the deadline.
Say it isn’t so trading our best defender! You want to trade a defender? Trade Dobson and Pelech! Draft Schaefer! Trade to get Hagens! Trade to get Howard! Trade with the Habs to Get Mailloux, 16, 17 and? Draft Aitcheson! Starting to believe The Owners are The problem! So the thing that needs to be done…. Dumping the Owners for a bag of pucks so the team can build properly! Trading Romy you might as well trade Sorokin
I’ll be patient for 3 years to be good again.
They can’t trade this pick. Unless they get Connor McDavid for it lol😂. Take Schaeffer. He’s the top rated guy. Plus he’s a Dman.
Romanov looked much better with DeAngelo. You don’t trade him. Dobson is not worth paying.
Good 🌄, Gil. How are you? The Islanders hired 2 new assistant coaches, Frank Bennett, and Bob Boughner. Whoever the Islanders pick in the 1st Round, he should to go college to prepare for life or until he declares a major, WHICHEVER COMES 1ST. Alexander Romanov 25 years old, and he had a B+ season. HAPPY 🎂 BRENT SUTTER. He was one of 6 brothers to play in the NHL. He was there for 2 of the last Stanley Cups. He scored a hat trick in a 5-5 tie in St. Louis. Hear from you later, Gil, ⏲️ to watch Game 6of the 83 semi-finals between the Islanders and the Bruins. Now, LET'S GO ISLANDERS.
If he believes that he is absolutely delusional
Gil is it true that Lou also extended all the scouts as well before he left?
Stay healthy, fix the special teams, trade one of the veterans (Pageau, Lee), get rid of Dobson for a legitimate scoring winger. Maybe Palmieri scores 30 goals with his beard back.
For the Islanders, 2025/2026 is not about contending. We all know that. It's supposed to be about moving this team in the right direction and making the changes needed to get "younger and faster" while accumulating cap space. Running back the same old and slow roster to barely make the second wildcard playoff spot is precisely the wrong direction and frankly it's exactly what Lou Lamoriello would do. I certainly hope this stated plan by Darche is some master strategy to mask his true plan to improve this team because if no changes are made, the Islanders fans will let him hear it
No one, and I mean no one, can look at Edmonton and Florida going at it in the Finals and think the current Islander team would be anything more than a speedbump to either of those teams on a playoff run.
Going back to the press conf Darche priority this year is fixing bridge and player dev and scouting and lettin Roy handle the big club. There will be tweaks to the nhl roster this year and at next yr trade deadline where Darche will know what he has and needs.
Good morning team! Gil, I'm absolutely fine with anything Darche wants to do to get this team going in the right direction, and I'm willing to give him the time (possibly a few years) to do it. We have to see slight improvements year over year though. Building our prospect pool should be a pretty high priority for him. We didn't make the playoffs this past season, so getting the team back to the playoffs is step two. Next, the team should constantly improve until we become that team, where our opponents look at us on the schedule and think, we have to play a very disciplined game or the Islanders are going to destroy us! I like Romanov and I hope he stays, but I'm fine with saying goodbye to any player that Darche wants to move on. We need to play the wait and see patience game for now. Thank you for all the info, Gil. I certainly appreciate. Everyone, have a great day! See you all again tomorrow. Until then.. Let's Go Islanders!!
Quoting Jim Mora, Playoffs??? I agree 100% with you Gil, we need a retool and need to be patient. Barely squeaking into the playoffs, getting eliminated in the first round is no longer acceptable. Been there, Done that. Definitely need to take one step backwards to go forward. LGI
Regarding who is a core player and who can be traded: both can be true of the same player. A player identified as "core" today might be traded tomorrow. In fact, that's pretty common. I'm not at all worried about these designations – especially by a new GM.
Maybe he doesn't want to be a playoff team and he's looking at next year's draft
Gil. I've been vocal about how poorly this team is run. I don't think Darche has a lot of options given the no trade high priced contracts the team is carrying. IF the team does not buy out its worst contracts then the team is going to have to make do as is for some time. He may be right IF the team's goal is to attain the 6, 7, or 8 seed. He never said the team was a Cup contender. Now, if the teams who currently occupy the 6-8 seeds get better Darche is in trouble. My own thoughts are the team should sell off all but one or two players from the 1st and second lines and stockpile picks. Darche may be counting on the team sucking so he finally has license to rebuild.
If you ever want to know how to build a hockey franchise specifically designed to win it all look at Florida. The Islanders are in a completely different universe. What is this guy seeing that we missed these past 5 years? My god,LL part deux. Do not Josh Bailey
Schaefer!
darche is another puppet for ownership. ownership needs to sell this team NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THIS TEAM IS GOING NOWHERE!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was not Lou it was management all along. Now we have an inexperienced GM to do what Lou was already doing.
This team is going no where with Roy at the helm.
Do not expect this team to get better over night! It’s impossible! Let this new guy do his work and see what he does. We’ve been saying this whole year how Lou put us in a hole, it’s not like darche is coming in with a ladder. Hopefully this man makes the right moves and we’re competitive within the next 5 years but at the moment it’s looking positive !
Good franchises never trade away their best talent or blow up the team. This isn’t basketball where one elite player changes a franchise. They retool and add to build slowly to become elite teams. Look at the oilers… for years people have been calling them disappointments… they just kept retooling till they found the right combination. I don’t want to see them burn extra assets to get rid of these bad contacts. Make good decisions now, wait out the few years for those bad contacts to come of the books while building a winning culture.
Good morning Gil. Ya never know. We have nothing to lose regarding playing Schaefer the entire season with the Islanders. I don't see this team, with Engvall, Egclair, Maclean, Fasching, making a run for the playoffs, even with Barzal back and healthy for the entire season. Therefore, I believe we should play our young kids with our vets, Barzal, Horvat, etc. They have the potential to move the needle if, and only if, they are surrounded by a solid core and veteran presence. That would entail: Dobson, Romanov, Pulock if he isn't traded, and Barzal and Horvat. The rest need to be replaced with kids who have potential, and Schaefer fits the bill. I'm excited to see what Calum Ritchie has to offer, as well as Eiserman. Enough with the recycled, overpaid, underperforming drek.