EAST MEADOW, N.Y. (AP) — Matthew Schaefer magic already had the New York Islanders believing they could exceed preseason expectations and make the playoffs.
Acquiring Brayden Schenn at the NHL trade deadline after adding a couple of veteran depth players in January has only added to the good vibes around the team. First-year general manager Mathieu Darche “wanted to give a little push” by going out and getting Schenn, fellow Stanley Cup winner Ondrej
Palat and depth defenseman Carson Soucy, and it might be the nudge the Islanders need to not just get in but go on a run.
“Mathieu, all he wanted was to reward the players,” coach Patrick Roy said Thursday. "The guys played so hard and played so well to give ourselves the best chance possible to make the playoffs. There’s no guarantee. You have to play the games. But I’m sure the players appreciate the moves that he made, and looking at the way we’ve been playing, I think our players deserve it as well.”
After missing the playoffs a year ago and winning the draft lottery to get the chance to select Schaefer with the top pick, the Islanders looked to be in rebuilding mode — not quite a contender but with the ingredients to get there.
Instead, the 18-year-old defenseman has been a revelation, giving a franchise more than four decades removed from the 1980s dynasty days the kind of energy perhaps not seen in hockey on Long Island since. Schaefer needs just four goals over the final 17 games to break the NHL rookie defenseman record of 23 set by Hall of Famer Brian Leetch in 1988-89.
Schaefer's presence was a big reason Schenn waived his no-trade clause and left St. Louis.
“He’s an incredible, incredible guy,” Schenn said. "He really cares about his teammates. He really cares about the organization. He wants to win hockey games. People obviously see the skill and everything that he does on the ice, but it’s more so how impressed I am with how he is as a guy off the ice.”
Schenn already showed what kind of guy he is. In his first game with his new team, he wasn't thrilled with the San Jose Sharks taking some liberties with Schaefer and was quick to confront them about it.
“It just brings life to us knowing that a guy like that has got our back and we’ve got his,” center Bo Horvat said. "Having that veteran presence on the ice, off the ice, I think is going to be great for us coming down the stretch.”
Schenn hoisted the Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019. Palat helped Tampa Bay win it back to back in 2020 and '21, and Darche has rings from those title runs as assistant GM of the Lightning.
It's no coincidence, then, that the Islanders made deals for proven winners who can show Schaefer and younger teammates the way.
“They need to be surrounded with good players to help them, guide them through those steps as they progress in their career, and that’s what we did with those acquisitions,” Darche said. “You can only gain experience by living it. We want to make the playoffs this year. We want our younger guys to experience that. Having players that have been through it definitely helps those young kids (know) what to expect.”
Schenn, especially, also fills a big role down the stretch. His addition allows Calum Ritchie to shift from center to wing and take some pressure off the 21-year-old in his first NHL season.
Darche said it was “all about having options.” Roy now gets to experiment with different lineup constructions and find what works best.
Schaefer has been having a blast all along.
“We always know when it’s time to work, but we always can have a little bit of fun and things like that, too," Schaefer said. “Winning and you know that your teammates and the coaching staff and everyone here helps when everyone’s so close and always having fun and happy and things like that, it makes it fun to come to the rink.”
The arrival of Schaefer and Ritchie with more top prospects on the way — and not traded away — make the organization's future look bright. Center Mathew Barzal, who turns 29 in May, said he appreciates Darche making the kind of aggressive deals that make it feel like the future is now to chase the Stanley Cup.
“Darchie sees opportunity here and he wants to win and everybody wants to win,” Barzal said. "Schaef’s 18 and he’s going to have 20 years, and I’m sure he’s going to hoist it one day. Why not do it a few times, and do it earlier than later? It was nice from Darchie to get a few guys.”
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