While a lot has changed since the New York Islanders hired Mathieu Darche to replace Lou Lamoriello, there's one thing that hasn't changed... yet.
Lamoriello liked numbers between 2 and 30, with goalies getting No. 1 and No. 31 and up.
While Darche has never run an organization before, given that he's more open to letting personalities flourish, one wouldn't think he has numerical restrictions.
Before we dive into players who may change their numbers, let's review the numbers already taken by retired players: 5: Denis Potvin, 9: Clark Gillies, 19: Bryan Trottier, 22: Mike Bossy, 27: John Tonelli, 31: Billy Smith, 91: Butch Goring.
Here are the numbers that weren't available last year but are now available: No. 2 (Mike Reilly), No. 8 (Noah Dobson), and No. 20 (Hudson Fasching).
Including Matthew Schaefer, here are the new players who are in need of new numbers: Schaefer, Emil Heineman, Jonathan Drouin, Maxim Shabanov, and David Rittich.
Schaefer was given No. 71 at development camp, but he's made it clear he wants No. 48. He wears that number because his brother did, idolizing now-Philadelphia Flyers general manager Daniel Briere.
That number is available at the NHL level, with his good friend Matthew Maggio wearing it for the AHL's Bridgeport Islanders.
Heineman, who was part of the trade that sent Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens, has since signed a two-year extension worth $1.15 million annually.
He wore No. 51 with the Canadiens, a number last worn by Valtteri Filppula (2019), but also by fan favorite Frans Nielsen (2007–2016).
Drouin, who signed a two-year deal worth $4 million annually, has worn No. 27, which belongs to Islanders captain Anders Lee.
He did wear No. 92 with the Montreal Canadiens, so perhaps that's the number he chooses on the Island, last worn by Vladimir Malakhov.
Shabanov wore No. 49 in the KHL, and it’s certainly his if he wants it. It was last worn by Arnaud Durandeau (2023).
With the Los Angeles Kings, Rittich wore No. 31, which is retired for Smith. He wore No. 33 with the Winnipeg Jets, Nashville Predators, Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Calgary Flames.
That number is available, last worn by Grant Hutton (2024) and Zdeno Chara (2022).
What about players on the roster changing their numbers?
Tony DeAngelo, who got assigned No. 4 upon his arrival last season, has worn No. 77 with the New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, and Carolina Hurricanes. That number was last worn by Trevor Smith (2009) and team legend Pierre Turgeon.
Adam Boqvist wears No. 34 with the Islanders and wore that with the Florida Panthers. He previously wore No. 27 with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Chicago Blackhawks.
Maxim Tsyplakov wore No. 9 in the KHL, but that's retired. He was given No. 7.
Islanders, Tsyplakov's Expectations For 2025-26; What His Next Contract Could Look Like
On Saturday, <a href="http://thn.com/isles">New York Islanders</a> restricted free agent forward <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/latest-news/islanders-maxim-tsyplakov-files-for-salary-arbitration">Maxim Tsyplakov</a> filed for salary cap arbitration.
What about Isaiah George, who was given No. 36 — yeah, I know what we said about high numbers — making his NHL debut this past season?
George wore No. 4 with the London Knights, so if DeAngelo goes back to No. 77, that would clear the path.
There's no expectation that any players will change their numbers, except for the incoming players whose numbers are unavailable.
We likely won't know the answers to the jersey number questions until the opening of training camp in mid-September.
Stay updated with the most interesting Islanders stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
PHOTO: Brad Penner-Imagn Images