Whether Matthew Schaefer, the first overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, starts the season with the New York Islanders or is returned to junior hockey will be determined entirely by his performance in training camp, according to General Manager Mathieu Darche.
“It is up to Patrick,” Darche said during an appearance on The Jeff Marek Show, referring to head coach Patrick Roy. “And at the end of the day, Matthew still has to go through training camp. He's got to show us that he's ready to play in the NHL.