Matthew Schaefer’s Potential Transformation
Matthew Schaefer is in for a significant change.
The Islanders’ head coach, Pete DeBoer, aims to enhance Schaefer’s adaptability by shifting the young defenseman around the blueline in his upcoming second season.
“I think Schaefer could play on the right,” DeBoer noted, referring to the left-handed Calder Memorial Trophy winner.
Last season, Schaefer largely played on the left but did switch it up for three games when Ryan Pulock was out.
“I believe everyone in our system should be able to move around… Being interchangeable puts pressure on the puck,” the coach added thoughtfully.
DeBoer took over from Patrick Roy when the team was out of playoff contention near the end of the 2025 season. He mentioned considering Matt Barzal for the center position next season.
“I think Barzal wants to center,” DeBoer said. “He seems eager about it. I believe he makes us stronger.”
“I like that speed in the midfield,” he continued, drawing comparisons to strategies that worked for the Stanley Cup-winning Carolina Hurricanes and the Vegas Golden Knights.
As free agency began, DeBoer’s first offseason with the Islanders presented challenges. Longtime captain Anders Lee signed a three-year, $16.2 million deal with the Mammoths.
“It feels strange to think about the Islanders without Anders in the lineup,” DeBoer reflected on the player who started with the team in 2012 and became captain in 2018.
“I genuinely hope Anders has a great run in Utah; I’m sure he’ll do well,” he added, noting Lee’s role in leading the team to two consecutive Eastern Conference Finals.
“It’s disappointing to see him go,” said defenseman Isaiah George, who described Lee as a fantastic teammate and community figure.
“You can ask anyone,” George commented. “He was great at fostering teamwork.”
“His on-ice performance speaks volumes. He led by the way he played, always giving maximum effort,” George added, having balanced his duties between the Islanders and Bridgeport of the AHL since 2024.
DeBoer isn’t rushing to choose a new captain. “It’s not something I wanted to be dealing with, but here we are,” he said.
“I think I’ll need to address that soon,” he noted.
The new coach is still familiarizing himself with the roster. He recently connected with Barzal and Kyle Palmieri, a forward recovering from an ACL injury incurred last November, to chat about hockey.
DeBoer aims to provide everyone a fair shot while upholding the integrity of the game but has raised the bar for Anthony Duclair, who accumulated 27 points in 62 games last season.
“I’ve seen Duclair excel when he was with Florida, racking up nearly 60 points,” DeBoer remarked about the player, who controversially joined Roy in late 2024.
“There have been seasons where he hasn’t performed at that level, so he really needs to step up. Every day counts,” he emphasized.
