Mathieu Darche is expected to be named the new general manager of the New York Islanders on Friday, a source confirmed to Newsday. Darche will fill one of the open positions after Islanders president and general manager Lou Lamoriello did not have his contract renewed after this past season.

TAMPA — It had been several years since Mathieu Darche first emerged as a candidate to become an NHL general manager. As the Lightning’s assistant GM, he had been Julien BriseBois’ right-hand man in leading the team’s hockey operations department.

The New York Islanders hired Mathieu Darche as their general manager Friday, giving the two-time Stanley Cup-winning Tampa Bay Lightning assistant his long-awaited first chance to run an NHL team.Darche was named executive vice president and GM and put in charge of the organization's hockey operations department.