NY Islanders Have Intriguing Early-Season Matchup With Maple Leafs

The matchup between the New York Islanders and Toronto Maple Leafs will be must-see action.

Apr 9, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs center Max Domi (11) plays the puck against New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (48) during the third period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The 2026-27 NHL season is going to be an exciting one for the New York Islanders, who are looking to build on a surprisingly productive, yet disappointing at the same time, 2025-26 campaign.

Surprisingly, the Islanders were in the hunt for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference into April. They fell short of the postseason, but with Peter DeBoer now on board as head coach, expectations are on the rise.

A lot of fans are looking forward to seeing what defenseman Matthew Schaefer has in store as an encore to his historic rookie season. The unanimous selection for the Calder Trophy, he recorded 59 points, scoring 23 goals and handing out 36 assists in 24:41 average ice time per game.

Already a star, watching his maturation on the ice, as he will be only 19 years old this season, will be enjoyable for any hockey fan, especially when he matches up against other highly touted youngsters in the league.

Islanders home opener pits most recent No. 1 picks against each other

Jun 26, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Gavin McKenna puts on a sweater beside NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and singer Justin Bieber after being selected with the first pick in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Such a matchup could occur early in the season on Sept. 30. That evening will be full of excitement, as it is the home opener at UBS Arena. It could also be the first time that Islanders fans get to see Gavin McKenna, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, on the ice.

There is certainly a good chance that he makes the team’s roster out of training camp. Opening night for the Maple Leafs is Sept. 29, which could be McKenna’s debut against the Montreal Canadiens.

Considered a generational talent, it will be quite a treat for NHL fans in general to see him going up against one of the brightest stars in the league, Schaefer. The talented defenseman will certainly be part of DeBoer’s strategy to slow down McKenna in his first visit to Long Island.

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Any time No. 1 overall picks face off against each other, especially for the first time, it is must-see TV. On top of that, it is the home opener for New York, which just adds to the excitement level.

And don’t forget, it is yet another opportunity for Islanders fans to voice how they feel about John Tavares. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NHL Draft, Tavares spent the first nine seasons of his NHL career with the Islanders before departing in free agency.

An All-Star five times with New York and once with Toronto, he hasn’t quite lived up to expectations since making the change, something Islanders fans are not shy to remind him about.