NY Islanders Have Promising Young Defenseman Emerging

Will a young defenseman make his way into the lineup next season?

Apr 12, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders head coach Peter DeBoer speaks to the media after a game against the Montreal Canadiens at UBS Arena. / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With the offseason continuing on, the New York Islanders roster is starting to take shape for next year. One of the strengths of the unit figures to be their blueline, but they might be making some big changes. 

Following a surprisingly good season for the Islanders, the team has entered the summer with a bit of an unclear direction. This was a team that was expected to be in a rebuilding stage, but the group playing extremely well early and being in the playoff hunt last year resulted in them getting aggressive at the trade deadline, and they made some questionable decisions. 

Now, the team is a bit limited in terms of cap space, and making improvements this summer was always going to be a challenge. However, with the mindset of the team, it appears like they are going to be more focused on the future and will hope to compete in the meantime. 

Recently, the team spoke about potentially making a major shakeup to their blueline. As the new face of the franchise, Matthew Schaefer might be moving to the right side of the blue line to allow for another young player to come up. Defenseman Isaiah George is a rising prospect in the system, and the Islanders seem eager to give him a chance in the NHL. 

Islanders Moving Schaefer to Create Space for George

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

When looking at the roster for the Islanders, undoubtedly the strength of their team is on the blueline. Winning the NHL Lottery and being able to land Schaefer completely changed the outlook for the team, and New York’s already strong blueline got even better. 

Now, with a talented young player in George looking to make his way into the league, the Islanders potentially moving the face of their franchise to the other side is an indication of the type of player that the young defenseman might be. 

If Schaefer does indeed move to the right side to make room for George on the left, he will likely be paired with Adam Pelech on the top line. This will present the team with an elite first-pair, and also slide Ryan Pulock to the second-pair. Going with Pulock on the second pair would be Alexander Romanov, followed by George right behind him. 

Overall, as long as Schaefer doesn’t have a hard time adjusting to the move, the Islanders being able to get George in ot the lineup would be a good move.