NY Islanders Are Wise to Prepare for Matthew Schaefer Extension Next Summer

The New York Islanders are expected to have a lot of cap space next summer. However, some of that should got to Matthew Schaefer.

Apr 11, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (48) shoots the puck in the second period at UBS Arena. / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Islanders have seen things start to settle down a bit after a busy start to the offseason with the NHL Draft and free agency being back-to-back. While the team might not have made a ton of moves this summer, they are planning for the future. 

Coming off a solid campaign, many were hoping that the Islanders were going to be making a splash this summer to help push the team over the top and make them a real contender. 

With fantastic talent on the blueline and in the net with Ilya Sorokin, New York is a team that is built to win defensive battles. However, teams need to be able to put the puck in the net as well, and that is an area that the Islanders weren’t great at. 

Of their moves this summer, one of the most notable was the addition of Matias Maccelli. The young forward is coming off a down season, but there is some nice upside for him. Furthermore, with him signing just a one-year deal at a very affordable number, it keeps cap flexibility for New York. 

Creating cap space for next offseason has been a major goal of general manager Mathieu Darche, and he expects the team to have about $40 million next season. That cap space is going to be needed, especially when looking at who will be extension eligible next offseason. 

Matthew Schaefer Extension Will Eat at Cap Space

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. / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On July 1st, 2027, the young star defenseman of the Islanders is going to be extension eligible, and after a historic rookie campaign, locking him up long-term is a major goal. 

Last season, Schaefer totaled 59 points with 23 goals and 36 assists. The numbers for the 18-year-old were extremely impressive, and it is crazy to think that he will likely only get better with more experience. 

With that being said, as a player who is a generational talent, it appears locking him up long-term will be key for the Islanders. Even though they don’t have to right away, they would be wise not to mess around with his contract and get him signed as quickly as possible next summer. 

Even though the $40 million in cap space is a lot, Schaefer is going to command a good chunk of that. Seeing some of the contracts that have been going to players has certainly increased what the young defenseman is worth, and New York will likely have to hand him a blank check.