By Daniel McCabe, The McGill News

One of the first things Mathieu Darche, the new general manager and executive vice-president of the NHL's New York Islanders, told his players was that they could put away their razors if they wanted to.

His predecessor in the job, Lou Lamoriello, was notorious in hockey circles for his strict insistence that the players on his teams always needed to be clean-cut. Facial hair was verboten.

"Making that change was low-hanging fruit," says Darche, BCom'00. "I won't dictate [players'] appearance. I want them to be themselves."

As long as they commit to the fast-paced style of hockey he wants from the team, moustaches, goatees and mullets will now be welcome at the UBS Arena where the Islanders play their home games.

Darche comes to his new job after having spent six seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning as part of the senior management team that led the club to two Stanley Cup championships.

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