New York Islanders fans love to talk up superstar defenseman Matthew Schaefer, especially after his overtime winner against the Minnesota Wild capped a two-goal, one-assist night.

I mean, it’s hard not to. The kid is incredible.

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Even when he makes a mistake, like when he failed to get the puck deep in the neutral zone, leading to Matt Boldy’s 3-3 tying goal, he doesn’t let it define his night.

Instead, he shakes it off and finds a way to make the difference, as he did Thursday night:

“That last goal, we’re trying to keep a lead,” Schaefer said postgame. “I tried to glass it. So they made a nice play, stopped it, and then came down and tied the game. We wanted it really bad. I know I wanted it really bad for Sorokin and our team, obviously, because they got that goal late. Obviously my fault there. I mean honestly, we learn from it. I was happy to get that one there. Pager made a nice play up, and Homer was going backside. So I just took whatever’s given. You get a big win against a big team and keep it rolling. And keep it rolling from Nashville on. I think we just gotta keep rolling, learn from this road trip and keep going.”

When head coach Pete DeBoer was asked about Schaefer postgame, he couldn’t help but chuckle before talking about his 19-year-old phenom.

“Yeah, I know he was upset about the third goal; you could tell that he wanted to get it back for us even before overtime started. That competitiveness and edge he has to be a difference maker is really rare.”

With his three-point night, Schaefer enters Halloween with 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in 13 games, riding a six-game point streak.

Oh, and here are the records he tied or broke in Thursday’s 4-3 overtime win over Minnesota:

But Islanders coaches, teammates, fans, and reporters aren’t the only ones talking about No. 48.

The opposing Wild had plenty to say about Schaefer after getting a firsthand look at just how special he is, courtesy of The Hockey News’ Dylan Loucks.

And perhaps nobody offered higher praise than one of the NHL’s best defensemen, Quinn Hughes, who believes Schaefer has the potential to become one of the league’s very best players.

“He’s really impressive,” Hughes said. “I mean, when I was 19, I was a sophomore at Michigan. And when Cale [Makar] was 19, he was a freshman and did one more year, or two more, I forget. But same with Fox, he did three years. Werenski, too. Like, all those guys I just mentioned were in college at this kid’s age. So he’s obviously really good.”

But Hughes wasn’t finished.

“Yeah, really like his game. But I think for him, being 19, this is all gravy right now. Like, when he’s 22, 23, 24, 25, all the way up, I mean, those are the years where he can really — he should be a top-three, top-five player in the league. So he’s just got to keep climbing. But it’s obviously impressive with where he’s at at 19.”

That’s some incredible praise coming from one of the league’s premier defensemen.

And I think it’s important to take a second to appreciate what Hughes is saying here.

We’re already watching one of the most talented young defensemen of this generation, and yet, as Hughes pointed out, Schaefer is still years away from his prime.

As remarkable as he is right now, it’s difficult to imagine just how good he could become.

Minnesota forward Matt Boldy, who scored the late equalizer that briefly gave the Wild new life, also came away impressed with Schaefer’s performance.

“Yeah, he’s a heck of a player for sure. He showed it tonight. I don’t think we did a good enough job of slowing him down, making his life a little bit harder. But credit to him he plays the game like he’s been playing for 10, 15 years. It’s pretty fun to watch. Future is obviously pretty bright. They’re pretty lucky to have him over there.”

It’s one thing for Schaefer to dominate offensively. It’s another for opponents to recognize just how difficult he is to play against.

Wild head coach John Hynes pointed to Schaefer’s skating as the key to his offense.

“He’s good. He’s hard to play against. He’s a great skater. You saw what he can do with the puck, and he drives offense, and he was good tonight,” Hynes said. “Yeah, he has the ability; he’s got good size, but I think the thing that helps him is that his skating is elite. He’s able to hold onto the puck and do some things at the offensive blue line, and some of the things that you see with the premier offensive defensemen in the league, he has that skill set.”

When you can skate like Schaefer, the sky truly is the limit.

One area I wanted to see Schaefer improve upon entering this season was his ability to walk the blue line, both at 5-on-5 and, more specifically, on the power play.

And he’s taken tremendous strides in that regard after putting in the work this summer.

He’s continuing to learn NHL spacing, when to move, when to hold onto the puck, and how to create openings for himself and his teammates.

But what makes him so dangerous is that his skating lets him do things most defensemen simply can’t.

His ability to turn on a dime makes it incredibly difficult for opposing players to stay with him. He can create separation in an instant, beat opponents to loose pucks, and recover defensively even when it looks like he’s been caught out of position.

And as he continues to learn how to manipulate NHL defenders with his skating, rather than relying solely on his natural ability to beat them, there’s another level to his offensive game that we may not have even seen yet.

Then Wild forward Nico Sturm was asked whether he sees similarities between Schaefer and Hughes.

“I think that’s pretty fair to say,” Sturm said. “I just admire the guys coming into the league at 18, 19, and the confidence that they have and just looking like they’ve been in the league for eight years. I don’t know what these guys do growing up, to be honest with you. It’s kind of insane. They just all get good hands, good skating, elite shot. I think I missed that part growing up.”

Every fan base overhypes its own players. That’s just sports.

But Schaefer is different.

I find it hard to believe there’s a fan base out there, even the New York Rangers’, that can watch Schaefer play and not come away thinking he’s one of the most talented and exciting young players in the NHL.

When opposing players and coaches say the same things Islanders fans have been saying, that should tell you something.

Islanders fans, this is your reality.

No matter how frustrating a game gets, no matter how difficult a season becomes, you get to turn on your television or walk into UBS Arena and watch Matthew Schaefer play hockey.

And there’s something pretty special about that.

Maybe that’s not enough for some, and that’s fair. Winning matters, and this fan base has waited a long time to see its team lift the Stanley Cup.

But there’s also something to be said for appreciating what you’re witnessing in the moment.

Here’s a kid, and yes, he’s still a kid, who jumps over the boards seemingly every other shift with the biggest smile on his face, doing things on the ice that most players can only dream of.

He does it with such grace, humility, and pure joy for the game. And the way he carries himself off the ice makes him even easier to appreciate.

Careers don’t last forever, and sometimes we get so caught up in what’s next that we forget to appreciate what’s right in front of us.

Fortunately for Islanders fans, and for those of us lucky enough to cover him, Matthew Schaefer’s career is only just getting started.

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The Hamilton Hammers (2-6-0-1) haven't had an easy season.

On top of being much younger than usual, injuries to the New York Islanders’ forward group have left them without forward Mitchell Chaffee.

Rookie Victor Eklund, who could have been a weapon for Hamilton, was just too good during training camp through his first 10 games of the season to warrant a demotion.

Ahead of their Thursday night clash with the Hartford Wolf Pack, here’s the latest from the Islanders’ AHL affiliate, plus an exclusive interview with defenseman Calle Odelius, a good surprise this season.

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The New York Islanders have become notorious for taking gambles.

Like any bet, some moves are low-risk, and others are high-risk. Fortunately for the Islanders, more have been the former, including one involving a player they’ll face Thursday night against the Minnesota Wild.

On July 2, 2025, the Islanders signed highly coveted KHL free agent Maxim Shabanov to a low-risk, one-year, $975,000 entry-level contract.

Despite getting opportunities in the top six, the 25-year-old’s inconsistent play and struggles to stay healthy made him a difficult player for the organization to rely on.

No one questioned his talent, but things simply weren’t working out on Long Island.

Ahead of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, I was told that Shabanov’s camp approached the Islanders about his situation. While it wasn’t a formal trade request, his representatives made it clear that if he wasn’t going to receive more opportunities, he would prefer to play elsewhere.

The Islanders tried to find him a new home, but no one took him.

Shabanov finished his rookie season with 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) in 44 games.

Despite his struggles, the Islanders weren’t ready to give up on him, even after electing not to tender the pending restricted free agent a qualifying offer.

The previous summer, fellow Russian forward Maxim Tsyplakov, another low-risk gamble, had filed for salary arbitration before the two sides agreed to a two-year contract.

After the qualifying-offer deadline passed, I was told the Islanders remained in discussions with Shabanov’s camp and even had an offer on the table to bring him back, believing his rookie season left some unanswered questions.

But Shabanov, who had changed representation, had to make a decision.

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NASHVILLE, TN — In youth hockey, there comes a point when the best player on the ice seems never to come off.

Sometimes, it’s because that kid is the coach’s son. Other times, it’s because that player is simply too good to take off the ice when the game is on the line.

For New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer, not much has changed since his Bantam hockey days.

Except this isn’t Bantam hockey anymore.

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NASHVILLE, TN — Tuesday night could have ended in a nightmare for the New York Islanders after they squandered a 3-0 lead against the Nashville Predators.

Instead, it ended with a dream becoming reality for Semyon Varlamov.

After undergoing two partial knee replacements and spending nearly two years working toward this moment, the veteran netminder earned his first NHL victory since Nov. 14, 2024, completing another remarkable chapter in a comeback that once seemed unthinkable.

Varlamov was outstanding when the Islanders needed him most, making critical saves to get his team to overtime before stopping both shooters he faced in the shootout.

When the final save was made, his teammates mobbed him on the ice. The celebration continued in the locker room, where it was clear just how much this moment meant to everyone.

Here are the sounds and reactions following Varlamov’s first win of the season:

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NASHVILLE, TN — Before Steven Stamkos joined the Nashville Predators, he spent 16 seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning and won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021.

Tampa Bay eliminated them in the Eastern Conference Final in consecutive seasons.

Those Lightning teams featured two familiar faces: Islanders forward Ondrej Palat and general manager Mathieu Darche, who served as Tampa Bay’s assistant general manager then.

When Nashville visited Long Island last season, The Elmonters caught up with Stamkos to discuss his relationship with Palat and what made Darche successful behind the scenes.

On Tuesday, ahead of the Islanders’ matchup against the Predators, I caught up with Stamkos again to discuss Palat’s resurgence, the work ethic that earned him the nickname “The Warrior” in Tampa Bay, and why he believes Darche was ready to become an NHL general manager.

Stamkos also shared what makes Matthew Schaefer such a difficult player to face, even at just 19.

Here’s our exclusive Q&A

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NASHVILLE, TN — New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer has picked up right where he left off after his Calder Trophy-winning rookie season, continuing to show why he’s one of the NHL’s most exciting young players.

In 11 games this season, he has 10 points (two goals, eight assists) and has scored in back-to-back games, including Tuesday night’s game against the Nashville Predators.

While his offensive abilities often steal the headlines, his defensive awareness, positioning, and ability to recover have stood out to his captain, Bo Horvat.

I caught up with Horvat after Monday’s practice in Nashville to discuss where he’s seen Schaefer’s game improve, what makes the 19-year-old so difficult to play against, and how high his ceiling can be.

Horvat also shared his thoughts on Semyon Varlamov’s return to the crease and what the Islanders need to clean up following Sunday’s 6-3 loss to the Dallas Stars.

Plus, head coach Pete DeBoer weighed in on Schaefer’s development and why he believes the young defenseman still has another level to reach.

Here’s what they had to say:

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NASHVILLE, TN — New York Islanders backup goaltender Semyon Varlamov has made three starts this season after missing nearly two years following two partial knee replacements.

His return is incredible, but uncertainty remains, as he’s the first athlete to return to play after a procedure like this.

While the goal is for Varlamov to make 30 starts, the 38-year-old netminder is taking a day-by-day approach.

Through those three starts this season—two shaky and one strong one—Varlamov owns a 2.25 GAA and an .899 SV%.

Ahead of what’s expected to be his fourth start of the season against Nashville, I caught up with Varlamov to pick his brain about where his game is at and more in this Elmonters exclusive:

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DALLAS, TX — Through the first 10 games of the season, the New York Islanders proved that Pete DeBoer’s system works.

But on Sunday night, the Dallas Stars exposed something important.

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DALLAS, TX — When the New York Islanders (5-3-2) take the ice against the Dallas Stars (6-3-1) on Sunday, this matchup will be about more than just two teams battling for two points.

For the first time since Mikko Rantanen hit Alexander Romanov last November, ending the defenseman’s 2025-26 season, the Islanders will face the Stars forward.

And while the players haven’t forgotten what happened, they also have another reason to want a win as head coach Pete DeBoer returns to Dallas for the first time since being fired in June 2025.

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ELMONT, NY — Every NHL coach has a system. Some build their systems around the teams they coach, like Barry Trotz did when he joined the New York Islanders in the summer of 2018.

You’ve probably heard this story by now, but I asked him why he went with his rigorous defensive system:

“I didn’t know if we could make that big of a dramatic switch. Honestly, when I left [Washington], I watched games, and it was really hard to assess the group because of the buy-in from some of the forwards, as the mindset was not always in the same place as a group.

“And so, there was some indecision and all that, but what I found was that the defense wasn’t as bad as they were made out to be, and the forwards weren’t as good as they were made out to be.”

Then you have coaches like Rod Brind’Amour, who need certain types of players to run their systems, and that approach finally paid off with a Stanley Cup in 2026.

It can take months, even years, for a team to master a system, even with a similar group of players throughout.

New York Islanders head coach Pete DeBoer was very honest with us at the start of the season about his aggressive, puck-support system and how long it could take his players to fully understand it.

“When I’ve come into teams, it doesn’t happen immediately, and it takes a while. I can remember going into San Jose and us taking one step forward, two steps back probably till around Christmas time, till we started playing seamlessly. I think that was probably similar a little bit in Dallas too.”

But through 10 games (5-3-2), the Islanders are already showing signs that they’re further along than DeBoer perhaps expected.

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ELMONT, NY — Last night, I had the privilege of joining New York Islanders radio broadcaster Alan Fuehring in the booth during the first intermission of their 3-2 overtime loss against the Los Angeles Kings.

I want to thank Alan Fuehring and the New York Islanders for giving me the opportunity to join the radio broadcast, something I’ll be doing a few times a month.

What made the experience even cooler was how much you guys engaged with my social media post. Whether you asked questions, sent congratulatory messages, or simply offered your support, it meant everything to me and gave me even more confidence to keep going and be myself.

We had time for just a few questions, but they were all really thoughtful ones, which was fantastic to see.

If you missed the spot, you can have a listen below by clicking the play button:

I am definitely open to feedback so I can provide the best analysis possible for you guys, so whether it’s on X or in the comments here, let me know what you thought.

Last season, during the Islanders’ game in Edmonton, I headed to the Hofstra University studios and sat with Alan for a behind-the-scenes look at how he calls a game remotely. I hopped on during intermission for the first time, and it was nerve-racking. I won’t lie.

I grew up listening to the Islanders on the radio while my dad and I drove to and from hockey on game nights. So, getting the chance to be on the other side of that experience was pretty cool.

It’s also great to see Alan on the road for every game now because he’s worked his tail off to make that happen.

For those who don’t know, Alan calls games with a lot of different people throughout the year, whether it’s Josh Bailey, Eric Cairns, Butch Goring, or sometimes just him.

His ability to balance calling the games while allowing his color commentator or intermission guests to be themselves, rather than forcing them to be something they’re not, is exceptional. And that doesn’t even include when Alan fills in for Brendan Burke on an MSG broadcast.

As for when I’ll be on the radio next, I’m not exactly sure. Maybe in a few weeks.

But that first opportunity last season, and getting to do it again last night, live from the radio booth on the Stan Fischler Press Level wouldn’t have happened without the support you guys have given me throughout my years of climbing the ranks.

I truly appreciate every single one of you who has followed along, read my work, subscribed, or simply offered a kind word along the way.

I couldn’t have done it without you.

Stefen Rosner

ELMONT, NY — Through the first 10 games of the 2026-27 season, the New York Islanders own a 5-3-2 record (12 points), sitting third in the Metropolitan Division.

And while there’s still a long way to go, there’s been plenty to talk about in what we’ve seen from Pete DeBoer’s group.

The Islanders have shown significant improvements in their structure, have gotten strong performances from key players, and have found ways to earn points even when things haven’t gone their way.

But there are still areas that need improvement, particularly when it comes to finishing their scoring chances.

With 10 games in the books, let’s dive into 10 things we’ve learned about the Islanders so far this season.

Happy Free Friday!

Pete DeBoer’s System Works

DeBoer told us at the start of the season that it could take months for his team to master his system. But over 10 games, the Islanders have worked out some kinks early and locked in on what’s being asked of them.

Everyone, every line, has a job to play, and it’s about establishing the forecheck early, with Casey Cizikas entrusted to start games. He’s been an underrated piece in this puzzle.

It’s one thing to know the system, but another to execute it. And the passes have been crisp, whether cycling in the offensive zone or transitioning. Their play through the neutral zone and right at the opponent’s blue line has been impressive.

On the flip side, their recoveries back into the defensive zone have tightened, forcing aggressive dump-ins. They’ve allowed the 10th-fewest shots in the league and have the 13th-highest expected goals for at 5-on-5 (21.61).

They’ve scored 19 goals at 5-on-5.

And that takes us into the next point.

The Islanders Still Need A Goal Scorer

The Kings game was a perfect example of not having enough finishers on their roster.

They took 39 shots on goal and passed up looks, but couldn’t beat Darcy Kuemper, who kicked out juicy rebounds left and right.

Credit to him for making the secondary and tertiary saves, but he was beyond beatable last night.

And listen, Bo Horvat is a great shooter, but you need more than one guy who can deposit pucks when he isn’t.

Dallas obviously isn’t trading away Jason Robertson this season, regardless of his contract status. But given how well Robertson played under DeBoer, he’s probably at the top of your list this summer, depending on how DeBoer feels about him.

Cole Eiserman isn’t ready yet,, so they’ll need someone else if they want to get the most out of the chances being created.

The Logan Stanley Signing Is Paying Dividends

When the Islanders signed Stanley, the organization expected him to play with Tony DeAngelo on the third pair.

But just two games into the season, Alexander Romanov tore his ACL, forcing the defense pairs to change.

DeBoer put Stanley with Schaefer, and it’s been ultra-effective.

Yes, it’s easier to be more effective with Schaefer on the ice, but Stanley has been strong in front of the net and in the corners, getting the puck to Schaefer and being ready to stand up for any teammate who needs it.

The Schaefer-Stanley pairing has the second-lowest expected goals against (4.2) among 41 defense pairings that have played 90 or more minutes together at 5-on-5.

He’s also been dominant on the penalty kill, averaging 20:40 total minutes per night, a new career high (17:12 ATOI in 2025-26).

Semyon Varlamov Is A Work In Progress

After missing nearly 23 months following two partial knee replacements, no one would have expected Semyon Varlamov to return and immediately look like the goaltender he was before getting hurt.

There’s going to be some rust, and we’ve certainly seen that through his two starts. His positioning is off, and he’s getting beat high glove side extremely often.

He’s shown flashes of the old Varlamov, helping the Islanders earn points in each of his two starts.

Now, does he need to be better? Absolutely. He owns an .899 SV%, but his 2.25 GAA is extremely strong.

The Islanders don’t need Varlamov to be Ilya Sorokin. They need him to give them a chance to win games while allowing Sorokin to get the rest he needs throughout the season.

Pete DeBoer has made it clear that he wants to get Varlamov into games regularly, whether that’s once a week or every 10 days.

And I think that’s critical.

The only way for Varlamov to get back into a rhythm is by playing games. Practice can only do so much, especially for a 38-year-old netminder who’s missed so much time.

The Islanders need to be patient with Varlamov, but they also need him to find his game sooner rather than later.

Bo Horvat Getting The “C” Was A Slam Dunk Move

When the Islanders named Bo Horvat their 16th captain in franchise history, we knew what he brought to the table as a leader.

But what we’ve seen early this season shows just how important he is to this group.

Through 10 games, he has five goals and five assists. But the points are just part of the equation.

Horvat is doing everything the Islanders need him to do, whether that’s scoring big goals, winning critical face-offs, playing significant minutes on the penalty kill, or leading by example.

When the Islanders lost Cal Ritchie and Matias Maccelli against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Horvat played 24:21, scoring a goal and getting an assist in a 4-1 win.

That’s what a captain does.

And while we’ve seen Horvat lead by example since arriving on Long Island, I think wearing the “C” has brought another level out of him.

He’s not asking his teammates to do anything he isn’t willing to do himself.

We’ve talked about the importance of everyone pulling on the same rope, and Horvat is leading the charge.

His teammates respect him, and it’s clear that DeBoer trusts him in every situation.

There’s no question about whose team this is from a leadership standpoint.

Victor Eklund Is Ready To Be A Full-Time NHLer

I’ve been pretty clear about where I stand on Victor Eklund.

If he was going to play in the NHL this season, he needed to be in a position to get meaningful minutes and develop his game.

And if that wasn’t going to happen, I thought he’d be better off playing top-six minutes in Hamilton.

But what we’ve seen from Eklund early this season has made one thing clear.

He’s an NHL player.

It’s not just the offensive production. He’s scored in back-to-back games and has four points (three goals, one assist) in 10 games.

It’s his hockey IQ, his willingness to go into the dirty areas, his ability to win puck battles despite his size, and, more importantly, his impact on the game without needing to score.

With the Islanders dealing with injuries up front, Eklund has earned a chance to take on a bigger role.

He still has plenty to learn, and he'll make mistakes. That’s part of developing in the NHL.

But there’s a difference between a young player just trying to survive at this level and one already finding ways to make a difference.

Eklund is doing the latter.

Matthew Schaefer Is A Long-Term Fit On The Right Side

When the Islanders drafted Matthew Schaefer first overall in 2025, they knew they were getting a stud.

One of the biggest things we’ve learned is that Schaefer doesn’t have to play on his natural side to be effective.

We’ve seen him play on the right side all season, and he’s looked comfortable doing it.

That’s significant for an Islanders team that already has Adam Pelech and Alexander Romanov on the left side when everyone is healthy, along with an extremely bright LHD prospect pipeline.

Through 10 games, Schaefer has a goal and nine assists, averaging 26:13 minutes per night.

But when you’re building a defense for the present and future, a player of Schaefer’s caliber who can play both sides gives DeBoer and Mathieu Darche a ton of flexibility.

It’s not just his skating that allows him to make that transition. It’s his awareness, his ability to read plays, and his confidence with the puck.

This Power Play Can Be Effective

The Islanders have scored six goals on 30 opportunities this season, good for 20%.

Rocky Thompson and Co. move the puck much faster, and the guys are rotating, which has given opponents’ penalty kills issues.

And a big part of that is Schaefer.

His ability to move the puck, walk the blue line, and make quick decisions has given the Islanders a different look with the man advantage.

We’ve already seen how important he’s been to their early power-play success.

But it’s not just Schaefer.

The Islanders are getting bodies to the net, moving the puck with more purpose, and creating opportunities instead of just passing it around the perimeter.

And that’s what a power play needs to do.

Looking at the personnel, they have enough talent to run an effective power play. We’ve known this.

Does that mean they’ll have a top-five power play in the NHL?

No. But they don’t need to.

They need a power play that makes teams pay for penalties, especially on nights when offense is hard to come by at 5-on-5.

Even if they don’t score, the Islanders need their power play to create momentum, and it has.

The biggest question now is consistency.

This Team Doesn’t Quit

I think this has been one of the most encouraging things about the Islanders early this season.

They don’t quit.

We’ve seen them fall behind, deal with injuries, and face moments when things could have gone the wrong way.

But they continue to battle. And I think that’s a testament to the buy-in we’ve seen under DeBoer.

This group has confidence and belief in the system to stay the course, even when things look bleak.

Even when they aren’t getting rewarded on the scoreboard, they stick to their structure, keep pressuring the opposition, and trust that their chances will come.

Thursday’s game against the Kings was another example.

Despite trailing, the Islanders stuck with it and found a way to earn a point against a team that made it difficult to generate offense.

Now, battling back and earning points is great, but the Islanders also need to find ways to win those games.

They can’t rely on coming from behind every night.

But to build a winning culture, you need a group that believes it can win regardless of the situation.

And right now, the Islanders are showing that belief.

It’s one thing for a coach to preach resiliency and playing a full 60 minutes. It’s another thing for the players to actually do it.

Ilya Sorokin is playing at a Vezina-caliber level

I think we all knew what the Islanders needed from Ilya Sorokin entering this season.

He needed to be their best player. And so far, he’s been exactly that.

After finishing last season as a Vezina Trophy finalist, Sorokin has picked up right where he left off, owning a 1.72 GAA and a .934 SV% with one shutout.

His 7.8 Goals Saved Above Expected at all strengths is the best in the NHL.

And I think what’s been most encouraging is that the Islanders aren’t asking Sorokin to bail them out nearly as often as they did last season.

The defensive structure in front of him has improved, and that’s letting him play his game without facing an overwhelming number of high-danger chances every night.

Now, does Sorokin still need to steal games from time to time?

Absolutely.

That’s what elite goaltenders do. But the Islanders can’t expect him to be their entire defensive system.

Under DeBoer, we’re seeing a team that’s doing a much better job supporting its goaltenders.

The biggest thing now is making sure they don’t overwork him.

That’s why getting Varlamov back into a rhythm is so important.

If the Islanders can keep Sorokin fresh all season while improving play in front of him, he has no reason not to be in the Vezina conversation again.

LATEST STORIES

ELMONT, NY — Many have spoken about Mathieu Darche’s comments on Mathew Barzal’s injury.

At this point, it sounds like the inflammation in Barzal’s left knee has gone down, and medically, he’s been given the green light to continue ramping up. But the next steps in his return depend on how comfortable No. 13 feels with his knee.

Now, part of the fan base hates that because it sounds like Darche is pressuring Barzal to return.

But let me ask you something.

This isn’t a broken bone, which usually has a clearer recovery timeline. So who do you want making the call on when Barzal is ready? Management or the player himself, working with the medical staff?

It was only a couple of years ago, Anthony Duclair returned from a torn groin.

He was medically cleared to return, but he played through pain, telling us afterward he was essentially playing on one leg for much of the second half of the season.

But there was pressure from his former head coach, Patrick Roy, to be out there, on top of the pressure he was putting on himself.

So what did he decide to do?

He kept playing, knowing he was physically limited. Ultimately, the mental toll of trying to play through it had a lasting impact more than a year after the injury.

Now, Darche wasn’t the general manager, and Pete DeBoer wasn’t the head coach.

But they’re aware of that and understand that athletes, especially hockey players, regularly play through pain and injuries to help their teams win the Stanley Cup.

I spoke with Duclair about what he went through, the mental hurdles of playing through an injury, and what he thinks about Barzal’s current situation.

Here’s what he told me:

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ELMONT, NY — New York Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche spoke with us on Wednesday, addressing several topics surrounding the team.

From Mathew Barzal’s recovery and the trade rumors surrounding Scott Mayfield to Victor Eklund’s emergence, Pete DeBoer’s system, and individual player performances, Darche had plenty to say.

You’ve probably already read or heard his comments.

Now, let’s take a closer look at what he said and what it means for the Islanders.

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ELMONT, NY — On Wednesday, New York Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche spoke with us about several topics.

Here’s what he said about injured forward Mathew Barzal and the trade rumors surrounding Scott Mayfield.

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ELMONT, NY — “Practice makes perfect” is a popular phrase, but it isn’t necessarily true.

You can practice all you want, but if you aren’t practicing correctly, you won’t achieve much.

“Perfect practice makes perfect.” Thanks, Dad, for drilling that into my mind growing up. It’s paying off right now.

Since day one of training camp, the New York Islanders have worked tirelessly on their Pete DeBoer structure.

Last season, and quite frankly during most of this Ilya Sorokin Era, the Islanders have allowed too many prime scoring chances against their goaltenders, and that needed to change if they wanted to succeed this season.

It’s changing right before our very eyes.

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EAST MEADOW, NY — New York Islanders rookie Victor Eklund is getting his first real taste of NHL life, and he’s enjoying every minute.

I caught up with Eklund for a quick 1-on-1 about what he’s enjoyed most about the NHL, his game-day routine, his favorite way to pass the time on team flights, and even his driving habits.

Here’s our conversation:

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EAST MEADOW, NY — The New York Islanders are back in action tonight against the Anaheim Ducks, but they’ll be without two forwards after Matias Maccelli and Cal Ritchie suffered injuries in Saturday’s 4-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

With injuries mounting and the Islanders looking for additional offensive help, there’s also a potential trade partner to watch.

Add in Victor Eklund’s looming 10-game decision, the ongoing defensive rotation, and many other notes, and there’s plenty to discuss:

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Mitchell Chaffee has been emergency recalled this morning. Alexander Romanov has been placed on IR.

HAMILTON, OT — The Hamilton Hammers endured a tough weekend, falling to the Rochester Americans and Syracuse Crunch despite several strong individual performances. From Vitek Vanecek’s 38-save effort on Friday to Liam Foudy and Mitchell Chaffee's continued hot streaks on Sunday, here are the weekend's key takeaways from a 0-2-0-0 run, including exclusive interviews with Mitchell Chaffee, Cole Eiserman, and head coach Jay McKee:

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