"He's been really, really impressive, Darche said. For an 18-year-old, his fitness testing was great in training camp; he's strong, he's not an undersized defenseman by any means, and he has good skating ability and maturity. Being an 18-year-old in professional hockey, being in the NHL in a market like New York, his maturity really made me confident that that won't be an issue. That's what comforts me th"
"The way he's going to play is going to dictate what we do, Darche said. He's completely earned his spot on the team and in the lineup. He will be in the lineup We'll take it as we go."
"At 18 years and 33 days old come Wednesday night's season opener, Schaefer will be the second-youngest player to appear in a regular-season game for the Islanders, behind only Nino Neiderreiter, who made his NHL debut at 18 years, 31 days on Oct. 9, 2010."
Matthew Schaefer, the 2025 No. 1 overall NHL Draft pick, made the New York Islanders' opening-night roster and will play in the season opener in Pittsburgh. At 18 years and 33 days old, he will be the second-youngest Islander to appear in a regular-season game. Schaefer is positioned as the franchise's defensive cornerstone and a projected power-play quarterback as the team shifts direction after leadership changes. Preseason outings showcased his skating and two notable chase-down defensive plays. Fitness testing in camp showed strength and conditioning, and his maturity was noted as a factor for early NHL readiness.
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