Matthew Schaefer Workload Not Slowing Production for NY Islanders

Even a heavy workload isn't slowing Matthew Schaefer down from producing.

Oct 27, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (48) skates with the puck against the Nashville Predators during the second period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Islanders have some work to do with their roster for the team to take their performance to the next level on the ice.

However, the hardest thing to do is find a franchise building block. The Islanders have that box checked off courtesy of defenseman Matthew Schaefer. The No. 1 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft had a historic rookie campaign, being the unanimous selection for the Calder Trophy.

In Year 2, everyone wondered what he would do for an encore. Through 12 games, he has somehow managed to take his production to another level, producing in every facet of the game to lead the Islanders night in and night out.

There are certainly questions about the workload that he is being asked to carry by head coach Peter DeBoer. Since Alexander Romanov went down with an ACL tear, his playing time has increased immensely; against the Nashville Predators, he played 32:16, which was the most in a single game in his career.

Matthew Schaefer logs career-high minutes against Predators

Schaefer played all five minutes of the Islanders' overtime and still was somehow able to come up with defensive plays like this pic.twitter.com/8inbykNMBu

— Shayna (@shaynagoldman_) October 28, 2026

That includes five overtime minutes, as Schaefer was on the ice for the entire extra time before the shootout. A five-minute shift is unheard of, but he is such an impactful player that DeBoer counted on him to get the job done despite likely fatigue.

If he was tired at all, he certainly didn’t show it. With less than a minute left in overtime, Schaefer showed off his speed to stop the Predators from getting a clean look at Semyon Varlamov in transition to help get the game to the shootout.

A play like that won’t show up in the box score but shows just how important he is to the team’s success. He is a true two-way difference maker and someone that DeBoer trusts in any situation.

Schaefer was on the box score, recording an assist on Bo Horvat’s sixth goal of the season that gave the Islanders a 3-0 lead in the second period. It was already his ninth assist of the season, giving him 11 total points through 12 games.

WHAT A PLAY. pic.twitter.com/qOULEkNhKA

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) October 28, 2026

He also added two shots on goal, one hit and two blocks, doing everything he could to help Varlamov get his first victory in nearly two years.

Schaefer is producing at an elite level, recording a point in five straight games, which is the second-longest streak of his career. However, time will tell if this kind of workload is sustainable.

At 19 years old, youth is certainly still on his side. It seems possible to sustain for now, but New York has to find ways to save him as the season moves along.