Mathieu Darche called the shots from the makeshift war room in the Islanders’ dressing room at UBS Arena, and hundreds of fans reacted to his decisions from just a few dozen yards away. 

Fans filled the floor and the lower bowl for Friday’s draft party at the arena, with some current and former players making cameos among the crowd, including Mat Barzal, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Casey Cizikas and Scott Mayfield. 

The overwhelming sentiment from those in attendance: excitement and optimism, both with the No. 1 selection of Matthew Schaefer and the team trading Noah Dobson to Montreal for the 16th and 17th picks and Swedish fourth-liner Emil Heineman. 

There was little surprise or shock from the crowd when the Islanders took Schaefer, but that didn’t subdue the raucous cheers when the team officially picked the 17-year-old defenseman from Hamilton, Ontario.