NY Islanders Matthew Schaefer Skates Like This NHL Superstar

Oct 10, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning center Gage Goncalves (93) and New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (48) battle for control of the puck in the first period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

NY Islanders Matthew Schaefer Skates Like This NHL Superstar

Originally posted on New York Islanders On SI
By Jim Precourt | Last updated Oct 14, 2026 6:00 AM ET

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When the puck hits the stick of New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer, fans know something exciting is about to happen.

Schaefer’s skating mixed with his stick-handling makes him one of the best defensemen in the NHL, and at 19 years old, he’s only going to get better.

It was the same story on October 10th, when the Tampa Bay Lightning made the trip up the East Coast to New York to play the Islanders at UBS Arena.

Schaefer received the puck off a pass at the blue line, then he danced around a defender, creating space for himself, and fired a puck in on net.It was deflected in by Jean-Gabriel Pageau, shrinking the Lightning’s lead by half and making it a 3-2 hockey game midway through the second period.

Schaefer Skates Like Nathan MacKinnon

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Schaefer can create space as well as anybody in the NHL with the puck on his stick. It’s a testament to how good his edges are — how good he is on his feet. When he goes to split from someone, either forechecking or when he’s at the blue line trying to find a lane to either pass or shoot, he can create space as Nathan MacKinnon can.

When MacKinnon stops up and gets his feet moving, he can create up to about 20 feet for himself, and he’s so fast he can breeze by anyone. Schaefer doesn’t have the straight-line speed MacKinnon does, but very few in the league do; he can certainly create the space, though.

Continuing on the path of the Colorado Avalanche (they’re that star-studded), Schaefer can easily approach the level of Cale Makar in terms of walking the blue line.

Schaefer hasn’t tallied a goal yet for the Islanders this season; however, he has four assists in five games. That first goal for Schaefer is coming soon. The Islanders, with a record of 2-3 at the time of submission, are on a win one and lose one basis at the moment. If they want to make the playoffs, that will need to straighten out as the season goes on. There are still 79 games left for them to find themselves, though.

Whenever Schaefer has the puck, fans know something big is going to happen. His hockey IQ is very high for a 19-year-old second-year defenseman. With time, all of those skills will only get better. Schaefer was seen as a franchise-changing selection for the Islanders, and he’s proving to be nothing short of just that.

This article first appeared on New York Islanders On SI and was syndicated with permission.

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