The New York Islanders opened their preseason on Sunday night with a 3-2 shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers at UBS Arena on Long Island. The result, though, was hardly the headline.
Most of the talk centered on 18-year-old defenseman Matthew Schaefer, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, who made his first appearance in an Islanders sweater, even if it was just a preseason game.
Was Matthew Schaefer’s Preseason Debut a Glimpse of What’s to Come?
Schaefer played alongside veteran Scott Mayfield and logged just under 25 minutes, a heavy workload for a teenager in his first NHL game. He wasn’t shy about shooting the puck either, finishing with five attempts on net.
His first point came midway through the second period when a slap shot from the blue line left a rebound that Kyle Palmieri hammered home to tie the game 1-1.
UBS Arena wasted no time embracing its new star. Chants of “Matt-hew Scha-efer!” rolled down from the stands after that assist. Schaefer admitted later that the ovation gave him chills. For someone making a debut, it was a moment that will stick.
On the ice, his speed stood out. His best sequence came in overtime. Flyers forward Matvei Michkov looked clear on a breakaway, but Schaefer accelerated across half the ice, closed the gap, and stripped the puck cleanly. The building roared, and his coach, Patrick Roy, called the play “out of this world.”
Fans online shared similar reactions. One posted, “Holy s*** what a backcheck by Schaefer.”
Holy shit what a backcheck by Schaefer pic.twitter.com/wKrTr2CxTY
— MF Isles (@MF1sles) September 22, 2025
Another simply wrote, “wow.”
wow
— ZachWilson40TDs (@DarnoldsMole) September 22, 2025
A Sabres supporter even compared his stride to Connor McDavid’s.
Sabres fan here, very very few NHL defensemen I have ever seen with that kind of acceleration, reminds me of McDavid. You just know it’s different
— Beyond 716 (@beyond716) September 22, 2025
Someone else joked that it looked like holding down the speed-burst button in a video game.
It’s like when you’d hold the speed burst button on a video game
— Johnny Pajamas (@johnypajamas) September 22, 2025
Whether serious or playful, the message was the same: this kid can skate.
But like any debut, it wasn’t perfect. Schaefer drew two minor penalties and had a turnover that contributed to a Flyers goal. Roy brushed off the error, saying it was more of a collective mistake than one player’s.
Later in the night, Schaefer absorbed a hard check from veteran Garnet Hathaway. He got up quickly and kept playing, which drew respect.
Afterward, Schaefer was candid about his night. “A lot of things to work on… Maybe don’t get a couple penalties next time, stay out of the box a bit. I thought it was a great start. I’m looking to improve on a lot of things,” he said.
Schaefer’s Path Forward
This was Schaefer’s first competitive outing since breaking his collarbone last December at the World Junior Championship. That injury limited him to 17 games in the Ontario Hockey League last season, so Sunday was both a test and a fresh start.
He looked comfortable in all situations, from the power play to the penalty kill, and even took late-game shifts.
RELATED: Islanders’ No. 1 Pick Matthew Schaefer Fully Aware of Brutal Reality of NHL World
The Islanders are expected to give him a long look through camp. Nothing is guaranteed, but he already looks capable of carving out a role. Preseason hockey usually passes without much buzz, but this debut was different. It offered flashes of why Schaefer went first overall, and reminders that he’s still only 18.
Next up, the Islanders head to New Jersey to face the Devils. The outcome of that game may not matter much either, but all eyes will again be on Schaefer.
His first NHL appearance showed promise, some rough edges, and a glimpse at a player who could soon become a core piece of the franchise.
