Mathieu Darche Could See Success in Penguins Front Office
Mathieu Darche is one of the candidates rumored to be interviewed by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The front office retooling has been a very quiet process, with Fenway Sports Group keeping a tight lid on their general manager search. Daily Faceoff insider Frank Seravelli shared some rumblings he's heard about where the organization is in the process. It seems the Penguins will keep their current front office structure in place, leaving both the general manager and president of hockey operations positions vacant.
Seravalli also shared several names he's heard have interviewed or will interview soon. One of the names mentioned was Tampa Bay Lightning Director of Hockey Operations, Mathieu Darche. His potential interest in the position is an exciting revelation, as he would be one of the most exciting and qualified candidates in the discussion.
Background
Darche is currently serving as the director of hockey operations for the Lightning, but has one of the most interesting educational and working history amongst the candidates. A graduate of McGill University, Darche appeared in 250 NHL games over 12 professional seasons. While his on-ice play was just average, his advocacy for the NHL and AHL Players Association was very noticeable. During the 2012 work stoppage, Darche sat on the negotiation committees for both associations and was an instrumental part in the new collective bargaining agreements.
After retiring, he went on to work for a Canadian customs broker and freight forwarding company called Delmar International. He held the role of vice president of sales and marketing there until he was hired in May of 2019 by the Lightning.
Salary Cap Magician
In his current role, Darche has had a very hands-on relationship with general manager Julian BriseBois. He advises on all player personnel and contract decisions, and is the person in charge of navigating the ever-tricky NHL salary cap. While guiding the team to back-to-back Stanley Cups, his shrewd and clever salary cap management allowed the team to acquire the perfect pieces to achieve two straight championships.
During the first run, they were able to bring in veteran players like Patrick Maroon and Kevin Shattenkirk due to the reasonable contract extensions given to core players like Brayden Point and Andrei Vasilevski. The team also wisely moved on from J.T. Miller for a premium return and a gap of cap space that they would quickly fill. In the next cup run, the team utilized their long-term injured reserve (to the dismay of many) to help acquire the solid and rugged defenseman, David Savard.
While the work of BriseBois's predecessor, Steve Yzerman, played a helping hand in the team's championships, there's no denying that the guidance and assistance of Darche provided a focus and steadiness to an organization that desperately needed stability. He's also demonstrated an ability to negotiate fair contracts and to know when it's time to move on from a player, two traits the previous Penguins' management did not possess.
While Darche may be a younger candidate, at only 46-years-old, the Penguins would be lucky to bring in an executive like him. Seravelli didn't clarify whether Darche is being considered for the general manager or the president of hockey operations position, but it shouldn't matter to the Penguins. If he has any interest in being a part of the management team in Pittsburgh, the new ownership group would be foolish to pass on him.
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