NY Islanders Star Seen as Potential Hart Trophy Winner

Which star from the New York Islanders could win the Hart Trophy?

Feb 26, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; View of a New York Islanders logo on a jersey worn by a member of the team during the third period at Bell Centre. / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As the offseason continues for the New York Islanders, the team has had a bit of a quiet summer. However, the future appears to be bright with some exciting young players. 

Coming into the summer, there was certainly a hope that the Islanders would be aggressive and try to improve the team. However, with a limited amount of cap space, New York ended up being pretty quiet. 

Of the moves, the most notable was signing Matias Maccelli to a very affordable one-year deal. This could end up being one of the best value signings of the summer, but that was pretty much all the team did. 

Furthermore, they also saw their captain, Anders Lee, leave for the Utah Mammoth on a three-year deal. As the Islanders try to improve their cap situation for the future, having good young prospects is going to be key. 

Fortunately, New York has done an excellent job of drafting and developing young talent. That was on full display last year with the play of their star rookie. 

Hannah Stuart of Bleacher Report recently wrote about the draft picks from the 2025 class and highlighted the elite talent that Matthew Schaefer has already become. 

Schaefer Predicted to Win Hart Trophy 

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

Aside from New York just missing the playoffs, the rookie campaign for Schaefer was pretty perfect for the Islanders. At just 18 years old, he was able to play in all 82 games, totaling 59 points with 23 goals and 36 assists. 

He also became the youngest player in league history to win the Calder Trophy, which is given to the best rookie in the NHL.

Now, as he heads into his second year, expectations are going to be high. Schaefer truly looks like he is going to be a generational talent in this league and could be well on his way toward being the best defenseman in the NHL. 

While it might be a bit of a reach to expect him to win the Hart Trophy in year two, this does appear like a realistic goal for the future. 

If he is able to do it, he would become the first blueliner to accomplish this since Chris Pronger was able to do it during the 1999-00 season. It is certainly a rare occurrence for a defenseman to win the award, but Schaefer has the potential to do so if he continues on this upward trajectory.