Appearing on NHL Network, New York Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche gave a candid look at the state of his team — praising Matthew Schaefer’s rapid emergence, Mathew Barzal's discipline, Ilya Sorokin’s recent turnaround, and reaffirming the organization’s culture of accountability under his and Patrick Roy’s leadership.
Darche said that even with lofty expectations, Schaefer has exceeded them. “He’s 10 days from being in next year’s draft and it’s how well he’s defending that’s been the most impressive,” Darche said. “He’s an elite skater… and an outstanding teammate.