How NY Islanders' Matthew Schaefer Can Become a Top 3 Defenseman This Season

How good can New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer be this coming season?

Apr 4, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (48) goes out onto the ice for the warmups before the game against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Islanders are getting set for the upcoming season, which is quickly approaching. With one of the best young players in the league on their team, hopes are high for what they might be able to accomplish. 

While this offseason might have been a quiet one for the team, there is still the expectation that they will be improved heading into next year. Getting some key players back from injury will be helpful, as will the development of some of their young talent. 

Furthermore, with Peter DeBoer coming in and getting a full offseason of work in, he will bring a plethora of winning experience on the bench. However, whenever the Islanders are talked about, it is defenseman Matthew Schaefer who is usually mentioned. 

The young defenseman is one of the rising stars in the game, and there is reason to believe that he is just scratching the surface of his potential. 

Schaefer Can Become Top 3 Defenseman 

Apr 12, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (48) carries the puck against the Montreal Canadiens in the third period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Alexander Wohl-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With the recent release that the young defenseman of the Islanders was ranked 7th among others at his position, it is impressive for him to be placed so high after just one season. 

Schaefer appears like he is going to be a generational talent for New York, and his second year is going to be an interesting one to watch. Last season, he totaled 59 points with 23 goals and 36 assists, making it one of the best rookie campaigns for a defenseman of all-time. 

While it was a great rookie campaign, he is still just 18 years old, and there is reason to believe that he will be even better going forward. While the ranking of 7th seemed fair, there is a lot of upside that could propel him even higher by the end of the season. 

Currently, the seemingly consensus top two defensemen in the league are Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes. Both are set for new contracts soon that will undoubtedly impact the Islanders with Schaefer in the future, but their talent level is undeniable. 

Last year, Makar totaled 79 points in 75 games with 20 goals and 59 assists. In the two previous years, he was able to record 90 points, proving to be one of the best players in the league. Furthermore, Hughes is coming off a 76-point season with both the Vancouver Canucks and the Minnesota Wild. 

Schaefer certainly has the potential to be a near point-per-game player in the league like some of the other top defensemen, and that could propel him into the top three conversation.