Although New York Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche finalized his final player contract when he avoided salary cap arbitration with Maxim Tsyplakov this past Friday, Darche has made one final signing.
On Saturday, The Hockey News was able to confirm that Darche has hired Jason Berger as the club's head equipment manager.
Berger had spent the last eight seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Darche's former club, serving as the assistant equipment manager from 2017 to 2025, winning two Stanley Cups.
Berger got his start with the Providence Bruins, the Boston Bruins' AHL affiliate, in 2006-07, as their assistant equipment manager, before serving as the head equipment manager for the WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds from 2007-2011. He spent one year with the Florida Everglades from 2011-12 before rejoining Providence from 2011-2017.
Equipment manaers do not get the credit they deserve for how much they do, especially during a game.
Exhibit A:
Yeah, he can bring the energy for sure, which you love to see.
Berger takes over for longtime equipment manager Leni DiCostanzo.
Leni began his tenure with the organization in 2009 as the head equipment manager of the Bridgeport Islanders, a role he held until 2018, when he was promoted to the Islanders, serving as an assistant from 2019 to 2023. He was named the Islanders' head equipment manager ahead of the 2023-24 season.
He was beloved in the room, but former Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello fired him on his way out the door.
The reason for the change wasn't made public.
Jason McGrath, who joined the Islanders organization from the New Jersey Devils when Lamoriello was hired ahead of the 2018-19 season, served as Bridgeport's head equipment manager from 2018-2022 before becoming Leni's assistant.
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