NY Islanders' Prospect Pool Gets Surprising Ranking With Matthew Schaefer Included

Should the New York Islanders have been ranked higher in terms of their prospect pool with Matthew Schaefer being included?

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. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With training camp not too far away for the New York Islanders, the team will be hoping to be a playoff contender in the upcoming campaign. 

Coming off a 91-point season, the Islanders are a team that will be hoping to be a bit better this coming season. Right at the end of the 2025-26 campaign, the team made a notable switch and parted ways with Patrick Roy for Peter DeBoer. 

The talented head coach has had a ton of success in the league, and the hope is that he will be able to take them to the next level. However, with the offseason being a bit on the quiet side, there is understandably some concern about whether or not the Islanders have the talent to truly be a contender. 

While the team might not have added a ton, they are optimistic about what their young talent is going to be able to bring to the table. This is a prospect pool that is one of the best in the league, and that will be key going forward. 

Corey Ponderman of The Athletic (subscription required) recently wrote about the updated prospect rankings for all of the teams in the NHL. For the Islanders, they came in ranked a very respectable ninth. 

New York Features Strong Group

Apr 9, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders center Calum Ritchie (64) at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Due to Matthew Schaefer being included on the list for the Islanders, with it being based on age and not who is truly a prospect with little or no NHL experience, it is a bit surprising to see New York ranked ninth. 

Schaefer alone is arguably the best young defenseman in the league and perhaps one of the best young players in the entire NHL. With him being included, it feels like the Islanders should have been in the top 5. 

Furthermore, some of the other talented players that are either ready to make an impact or already have were ranked a bit low. Calum Ritchie and Victor Eklund were both seen as prospects for the Islanders outside of their top five. 

Ritchie had a solid rookie campaign and could very well be a top six player for the Islanders, even if his positional role is a bit undefined right now. Also, Eklund will be battling for a spot out of camp, but could be seen as a 20-goal scorer. 

Overall, while it is good to see the prospect pool of the Islanders in a strong spot, it does feel like they should have been placed a little higher.