The post Islanders' Matthew Schaefer praises Scott Mayfield after first training camp practice appeared first on ClutchPoints .
The New York Islanders have finally taken the ice after an offseason full of change. Lou Lamoriello is out, with Mathieu Darche running hockey operations . But the biggest change on the ice was the biggest storyline at Day 1 of training camp. Islanders number one overall pick Matthew Schaefer spoke about his first day playing with veteran Scott Mayfield on the blue line.
"Scotty was honestly a big help today. Obviously, having him as a D partner, you know, lots of talk. Every time I come back to the bench, my ears are wide open for him to let me know what I need to do better."
"I thought today was a really good step, but I'm looking to progress a lot more, and I know I've got a lot more in my tank," Schaefer finished.
The Islanders have a solidified top four on the blue line, but Schaefer has a chance to break into the bottom pair. Ryan Pulock , Adam Pelech , Alexander Romanov , and Tony DeAngelo are certainly going to make the team. Mayfield is a long-time Islander, but had a dreadful season a year ago. Schaefer getting the first run with the veteran shows he has the inside track to make the team.
There are other options if either Schaefer or Mayfield does not prove to be worth the spot in training camp. Ethan Bear , Adam Boqvist , and Isaiah George all have NHL experience and have joined the team in training camp. The Islanders may bring Schaefer to the pros for the first nine games , but that is where the decision lies.
If Schaefer plays ten games in the pros, the first year of his rookie contract would be burned. The Islanders could send him back to the Ontario Hockey League after nine games to push his rookie year to 2026-27.
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