Mathieu Darche is set to get the gig on Long Island, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on Friday.
Darche has been with the Tampa Bay Lightning since 2019 as an assistant general manager, winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021.
The 48-year-old Montreal native played parts of nine NHL seasons from 2001 to 2012, recording 30 goals and 42 assists in 250 career games with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Nashville Predators, San Jose Sharks, Lightning and Montreal Canadiens.
Now, he heads to New York to take over a team that placed sixth in the Metropolitan Division at 35-35-12 with an even 82 points in 82 games and missed the playoffs.
Darche also inherits Hall of Fame player Patrick Roy as his head coach. Roy took over behind the Islanders bench in the second half of the 2023-24 season, leading the team to a playoff berth before it lost in the first round to the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Islanders dealt longtime centre Brock Nelson to the Colorado Avalanche at the trade deadline, signalling the potential start to a rebuild. Key forward Kyle Palmieri is eligible for free agency this off-season, while top defenceman Noah Dobson is a restricted free agent.
New York parted with previous GM and president Lou Lamoriello in April.
The team was also granted permission to chat with former Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan about its open positions on Wednesday.