Hockey

GM: if Jeff Gorton were available, he would have been the Islanders’ choice
Raphael Simard
GM: if Jeff Gorton were available, he would have been the Islanders’ choice
Credit: Getty Images

Mathieu Darche really came out of nowhere.

I understand he had a lot of duties in Tampa Bay, but he was never a GM in the NHL. And one of the criteria the Islanders' owners were looking for was experience in the field.

So, yes, the Québécois came out of nowhere and stole the job from Jarmo Kekalainen and Marc Bergevin.

But it's important to note that he wasn't the first choice, or even the second.

According to Elliotte Friedman on the Real Kyper & Bourne podcast , Jeff Gorton would have been the choice had he been available, and Ken Holland turned the job down.

The Habs executive, who continues to attract eyeballs across the NHL, was closely linked to the Islanders early on in the process.

But fortunately, Geoff Molson didn't let his man go. Gorton is very important to the Habs and it's about time the club treated him the right way.

Still, we must give credit where credit is due: he was more impressive in interviews than Bergevin and Kekalainen, who have a much more colorful background than Darche.

Bergevin, who almost had a job in New York too, is still in Los Angeles, and the Finn has found work in Buffalo as a senior advisor to GM Kevyn Adams.

The Islanders' new boss has just been named, and already he has to work on the draft, which will take place at the end of the month. He and his team have been given a gift from heaven and will be drafting at the very top. Less than two months after his hiring, he'll be faced with a decision that could completely change his franchise.

The free agent period will begin a few days later, and many of his new employees will be out of contract.

I'm thinking of Noah Dobson, Simon Holmstrom, Alexander Romanov and Maxim Tsyplakov, who will be restricted free agents.

A big summer ahead, in any case. I hope he's ready.


Overtime

– He won't even be playing there next year.

– Ah good.

– Minnesota contract.

– Québécois leaves for the university ranks.

– Absolutely.

– Good.

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