The New York Islanders will look for their first win of the 2025-26 season on Thursday against the Edmonton Oilers. While it has been a disappointing start on Long Island, their top prospect has been sensational. The Islanders' No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer has three points in three games, taking the league by storm. Oilers captain and former top pick Connor McDavid offered some advice to Schaefer ahead of their first matchup.

“There's always another guy coming up, another guy that's going first overall, another highly touted player. Everybody handles it differently. He's got a good head on his shoulders; he has a great personality.  I think he's gonna do just fine. My only advice would be just to enjoy it because it goes really, really fast. It really does.”

McDavid is 10 years Schaefer's senior and is coming off consecutive losses in the Stanley Cup Final. There are a lot of things preoccupying the Oilers' captain, including his recently signed extension. But he admits he has been keeping an eye on Schaefer and the Islanders.

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“First off, you know, just a great kid. He's got a great personality, brings a lot of energy. As a player, it obviously seems like he's off to a great start, which is good to see, yeah, a great player and a good kid.”

The Islanders do not have an elite defensive core, but Schaefer has raised their floor significantly. He led the team in ice time in their loss on Monday against the Winnipeg Jets and picked up another assist. When the Islanders took Schaefer first overall, everyone knew he was talented. But he has stunned even his biggest supporters through three games.

The Islanders and the Oilers face off on Thursday night at UBS Arena at 7:30 Eastern. Will Schaefer and McDavid hit the ice at the same time?