LOS ANGELES – Mathieu Darche had nothing to do with the Islanders winning the NHL Draft Lottery despite just a 3.5% chance to do so, as that happened almost three weeks before he was hired as general manager/executive vice president on May 23.

The New York Islanders are set to make the first pick in the NHL draft Friday night in Los Angeles. New general manager Mathieu Darche, just a month into his role, looks forward to landing a cornerstone player to help rebuild after the team missed the playoffs twice in four years.

New York Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky is as energetic as he is honest about the importance of Friday night and the lasting impact this one moment could have on the franchise. "The future is now for the New York Islanders,