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Published on:

7th Sep 2025

2025 NHL Summer Cooler - New York Islanders

The New York Islanders enter the 2025–26 season with a new GM at the helm, Matthew Darche, replacing Hall of Famer Lou Lamoriello. After finishing 12th in the Eastern Conference last season and missing the playoffs with a 500 record, the Islanders are retooling—and arguably rebuilding.

Hosts Neil Smith and Vic Morren break down what Darche inherited, what he’s changed, and what it means for a franchise that had the worst special teams index in the NHL last season. Power play? 31st. Penalty kill? 31st. Combine them? Dead last. Both assistant coaches were let go, but the pressure now falls squarely on Patrick Roy, who stays on as head coach.

They dive into the loss of key players like Noah Dobson and Brock Nelson, dissect what Emil Heineman, Jonathan Drouin, and David Rittich bring to the team, and consider whether top prospect Matthew Schaefer is ready to fill a top-pairing role on the blue line.

With a thin prospect pool and major question marks on the power play, can the Islanders overachieve and make a push for the playoffs? Or is this a transition year with the eyes squarely on the future?

IN THIS EPISODE:

[00:00] Overview: New GM, missed playoffs, worst special teams in NHL

[01:10] Noah Dobson & Brock Nelson departures — big losses

[02:45] Offseason signings: Drouin, Rittich, CC, DeAngelo

[04:30] Who replaces Dobson’s minutes and Nelson’s production?

[05:50] Can Barzal rebound from injury and stay healthy?

[06:30] The outlook for Matthew Schaefer and other young defensemen

[07:10] Patrick Roy’s challenge: improve special teams or face consequences

[08:20] Depth concerns, aging veterans, and overachievement expectations

[09:00] Can Rittich or Varlamov give Sorokin needed rest?

[09:50] Roy-Darche dynamic: How long is the leash for the head coach?

[10:15] Closing thoughts: An Islanders team focused more on the future than the present

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Special teams were historically bad, and improving both units is mission-critical.

Noah Dobson and Brock Nelson are major losses, even if Montreal may have overpaid for Dobson.

The Islanders are not clearly better on paper heading into 2025–26—they may need to overachieve to stay competitive.

Goaltending remains a strength, especially if Sorokin gets support from Varlamov or Rittich.

Patrick Roy will be under pressure, both from a new GM and from a fanbase tired of mediocrity.

This season may be less about contention and more about transition, with key prospects like Schaefer taking on big roles early.

RESOURCE LINKS:

🎥 YouTube: NHL Wraparound

🐦 Twitter/X: @NHLWraparound

📸 Instagram: @nhlwraparound

🎵 TikTok: @nhlwraparound

👤 Neil Smith: @NYCNeil

👤 Vic Morren: Vic Morren on LinkedIn

#NewYorkIslanders #MathieuDarche #LouLamoriello #EmilHeineman #NoahDobson #VictorEklund #WilliamEklund #KashawnAitcheson #DavidRittich #SemyonVarlamov #JonathanDrouin #KylePalmieri #TonyDeAngelo #AlexanderRomanov #AdamBoqvist #SimonHolmstrom #MattGatcomb #MaximTsyplakov #BrockNelson #BoHorvat #MathewBarzal #AnthonyDuclair #AndersLee #MatthewSchaefer #AdamPelech #RyanPulock #ScottMayfield #IlyaSorokin #PatrickRoy

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About the Podcast

NHL Wraparound Podcast
Neil Smith & Vic Morren
Breadth and depth.
Contemporary and historical.
Straight-forward and experienced.
The NHL Wraparound podcast features Neil Smith, President-General Manager of the 1994 Stanley Cup Champion New York Rangers and longtime ESPN/NHL veteran Vic Morren sharing no-nonsense opinions on news and issues around the National Hockey League.

Bringing decades of experience from their respective fields, Smith and Morren create a unique partnership that examines the NHL from multiple perspectives. Additionally, as hockey historians, the pair can delve into any topic in today’s game and enlighten the audience with connections to events from previous years. To truly appreciate where hockey stands today, one needs to understand its past.

With 2024 marking the 30th anniversary of the Rangers last championship season, a special five-part series is planned to commemorate that magical run. Expect fascinating behind-the-scenes stories and special guests with particular focus on the GM who pushed all of his chips into the middle of the table amidst the most pressurized environments – and came out on top.

Whether you’re new to the game or a seasoned fan, each episode of NHL Wraparound will leave you entertained and informed.


Bio’s
Neil S. Smith, highly regarded NHL executive, served as the President and General Manager of the 1994 Stanley Cup Champion New York Rangers. During his eleven years with the team, they achieved significant success, including three division titles, two Presidents’ Trophies, one Eastern Conference Championship, and a historic Stanley Cup victory—the franchise’s first in 54 years.

Known for his expertise in professional sports franchise economics, Smith played a pivotal role in management decisions under four different Rangers owners.. His tenure saw iconic trades and acquisitions, including Hall of Famers Mark Messier and Wayne Gretzky, as well as successful drafts and free-agent signings.

Starting as a pro scout, Smith's career highlights include the impactful 1989 draft for the Detroit Red Wings and bold trades that shaped NHL history. He briefly served as GM for the New York Islanders in 2006, later working as a consultant for the Dallas Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.

A Toronto native, Smith's hockey journey began in junior leagues before a distinguished college career at Western Michigan University. He has received numerous awards and distinctions, including induction into the University's Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.

Vic Morren: Born in New York City close to the Old Madison Square Garden, Vic Morren has had hockey in his blood his entire life as a fan, player and television production manager.

A graduate of William Paterson University, Morren skated for three seasons with the Pioneers hockey club and became the first statistical analyst to apply his craft to telecasts working New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils games from 1984-87. He co-authored two NHL-based statistics books within that span before moving to ESPN in 1987 and working the final season of the original deal the network had with the NHL.
After departing in 1990, Morren worked as a studio producer for SportsChannel America’s NHL coverage and the 1992 Barcelona Olympics before returning to ESPN that fall where he worked all 12 seasons on the second ESPN/NHL deal and the first season of the most recent contract in 2021-22. Morren has also earned a Sports Emmy for his work on Sunday Night Football coverage in 2003.

His relationship with Neil Smith dates back 33 years through their mutual friendship with the late ESPN/ABC commentator John Saunders. Morren looks forward to NHL Wraparound and collaborating with Smith with the goal to provide an experience of contemporary viewpoints, historical spin and an overall enriching podcast experience.