"I still have to earn my spot on the team and that's what I'm going into training camp to do. It's going to take time, but I'm ready."
"Going up against them, it makes me a lot better player... it's very competitive, but it's awesome."
"When training camp comes, I've got to really prove a point and show them what I'm capable of,"
"I want to be on that opening-night roster."
Matthew Schaefer was the first overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft after the Islanders jumped nine spots by winning the lottery. Schaefer turned 18 and missed most of the previous season with the OHL's Erie Otters because of mono and a broken collarbone sustained at the World Juniors. Cleared for contact in May, Schaefer trained over the summer with NHL veterans Sean Monahan, Nazem Kadri and Scott Laughton. Schaefer intends to use training camp to prove readiness and earn a roster spot, with a potential NHL debut Oct. 9 in Pittsburgh followed by the home opener against Washington.
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