Islanders Fell Short Of Playoffs—But Schaefer, Ritchie Didn’t Skate Away Empty-Handed

The Islanders missed the playoffs, but Matthew Schaefer and Cal Ritchie gained invaluable experience during a high-stakes late-season push that could shape what comes next.

PHOTO: Dennis DaSilva / New York Islanders

A big part of the New York Islanders’ push to qualify for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs was to give No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer and fellow rookie Cal Ritchie meaningful NHL experience in year one.

That ultimately didn’t happen, with the Islanders collapsing late in the season.

The team, collectively, struggled—but those two rookies didn’t, and the experience they gained late in the year is incredibly important moving forward.