"Mathieu Darche isn't panicking - and that may be the most important part of the New York Islanders' response to Alexander Romanov's absence. Rather than forcing a trade or rushing into an external fix, the Islanders' general manager is leaning into something he believes in deeply: development, patience, and the Bridgeport pipeline. 'You don't want to make a knee-jerk reaction,' Darche said via the New York Post when asked about replacing Romanov."
"'The reason you have a minor league system, and I strongly believe in the minor league system - maybe because I played too many games in that league - I believe in those guys getting opportunities.' That belief has translated directly into action. Instead of chasing short-term solutions, the Islanders have cycled through internal options, giving multiple defensemen a look and letting performance - not reputation - dictate opportunity."
Mathieu Darche isn't panicking and leans on development, patience, and the Bridgeport pipeline to address Alexander Romanov's absence. The organization prioritizes internal options from the minor league system and gives players opportunities to earn NHL minutes. Call-ups function as auditions where performance, not reputation, determines continued time with the team. Bridgeport head coach Rocky Thompson communicates regularly to identify who deserves promotion. Multiple defensemen have been rotated through the lineup, with Cole McWard currently performing well. Travis Mitchell previously received an opportunity and scored his first NHL goal during his stint.
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