The New York Islanders are back in action after the NHL's Olympic break ended. The Islanders have something to play for down the stretch, as they are currently third in the Metropolitan Division. They need all the points they can get, and they got off on the right foot on Thursday night.
The Islanders defeated the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday to kick off their final stretch of games before the NHL Trade Deadline. New York's effort against Montreal was aided by rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer. 2025's first overall pick scored twice in the win over the Habs at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
After the game, captain Anders Lee spoke with Newsday's Andrew Gross one-on-one. During this conversation, Lee shared very high praise for his rookie teammate. “He's an absolute stud. He has that ability to change a hockey game and he did that tonight,” the Islanders captain told Gross.
Schaefer has made an immediate impact in the NHL during his rookie season. The Islanders defenseman now has 18 goals and 41 points on the year following Thursday's win. He is now tied for second among rookies in goals, and remains third among rookies in points this year.
Schaefer is closing in on a historic milestone. He is now just five goals away from tying the record for most goals by a rookie defenseman in a single season. He is currently on pace to finish with 25 goals on the 2025-26 campaign.
The Islanders need Schaefer to continue this incredible run. If he can keep it up, the young defenseman could be a key cog for this team in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. And he could leave his mark in the record books along the way.
