""Honestly, I don't really think about that stuff," Schaefer said. "I have high expectations for myself personally. I know what level I can be at and I know how hard I can work. The big thing is I'm 18 years old but the age doesn't matter. I just want to go out there and play my game.""
""I think he's just been really consistent within the room and on the ice," captain Anders Lee said. "He's coming with a work ethic and he's coming trying to learn and get better and he's open to all of that. He's a much more mature 18-year-old than a lot of us have seen before.""
""I just want him to learn," said coach Patrick Roy, whose continued employment may be strongly linked to Schaefer's development. "I want him to go out there and play free. I want to see when he makes a mistake, how he's going to bounce back. That tells me a lot and that's the personality he has.""
Matthew Schaefer, the No. 1 overall pick who recently turned 18, brings exceptional skating, maturity, and an engaging personality. The Islanders opened the season after missing the playoffs twice in four years and finishing 35-35-12, nine points out. Schaefer is expected to start on the third pair with veteran Scott Mayfield and likely to earn power-play minutes. The organization anticipates his development as central to team progress. Schaefer aims to focus on his play and work ethic while adjusting directly from Canadian junior hockey to NHL speed and physicality. Coaches emphasize learning, resilience, and steady ice-time growth.
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