NY Islanders' Matthew Schaefer Wisely Seen as Future MVP Candidate

New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer continues to receive praise this offseason.

Apr 4, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (48) looks on against the Carolina Hurricanes during the first period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With the start of the regular season at the end of the month for the New York Islanders, the team is going to be ramping up in preparation for the upcoming campaign. 

Coming off missing the playoffs last year, the Islanders are certainly going to be aiming to change that this coming season. While New York didn’t do a ton this offseason, there is reason to believe that they will be a bit better with new head coach Peter DeBoer on the bench and some key players returning from injuries. 

With the Eastern Conference and more specifically the Metro division seemingly being open, the Islanders should be in the hunt for a playoff spot. 

One of the main reasons to be excited about this season and the years to come for the Islanders is the young group of talent that they are developing. Due to New York not trying to pull off a big trade this summer, they have a lot of young talent that they are hoping will be key pieces of the franchise for a long time.

Scott Wheeler of The Athletic (subscription required) recently wrote about the top prospects in the league. With the criteria being players under 23 years old, Islanders’ Matthew Schaefer made the list comfortably and was ranked in the MVP tier. 

Schaefer Wisely Receives High Praise

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

The young star of New York being placed in the MVP tier makes a lot of sense after his stellar rookie season. Last season, he totaled 59 points with 23 goals and 36 assists. Considering he was just 18 years old, what he was able to accomplish at such a young age was really impressive. 

Now, as he heads into year two, the sky is the limit. There is reason to believe that with a successful rookie campaign, he could get even better this coming season.

Joining Schaefer in this tier are three of the other best young players in the game. Mackin Celebrini, who is coming off a fantastic sophomore campaign, is ahead of Schaefer, with Conor Bedard and Leo Carlsson right behind him. 

There is no shortage of praise coming for Schaefer, and it is certainly deserved. While defensemen generally don’t receive a lot of attention when it comes to being in the MVP conversation, the young star of the Islanders is projected to be in the mix for years to come. 

Overall, with a few other prospects making the Top 150, the future of the Islanders remains bright.