"But there was one deal that shook the core of the Islanders' fanbase. It was the Noah Dobson trade at the 2025 NHL Draft. Speculation had been rampant about the Isles and Dobson agreeing to terms on a new deal. Dobson was on the path to becoming a UFA and could have left Long Island without as much as a "how do you do." In what seemed like somewhat of a hopeless situation, Darche managed to pull an elephant out of his"
"During that conversation, Darche revealed the reason behind the Dobson blockbuster: "People always think when you trade a player because you can't sign him to a contract, it's acrimonious, but there was never any animosity." Darche added: "I had a value that I thought was my threshold, the agent saw something else, and then instead of arguing, it was like, 'If you think you can get that deal somewhere else, let's work together to make that happen.'""
Mathieu Darche took over the Islanders near the end of the previous season and immediately began retooling a talented but underachieving roster. Amid talk of a full rebuild, Darche restocked the prospect cupboard while reshaping the lineup to chase a return to the postseason. The headline move was trading Noah Dobson at the 2025 NHL Draft after contract negotiations stalled. The trade netted two first-round picks and Emil Heineman. Darche emphasized there was no animosity; the club and Dobson's camp simply disagreed on contract valuation, and Montreal was willing to meet a higher price.
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