Peter DeBoer Heaps Praise on NY Islanders Young Defenseman

A young New York Islanders defenseman is making a great impression on the head coach.

Apr 9, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders head coach Peter DeBoer speaks to the press following the team’s 5-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs at UBS Arena. / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Islanders are a team on the rise with an incredibly talented group of young players moving through the organizational pipeline.

There is a lot of excitement surrounding the organization, which has already seen the emergence of franchise cornerstone Matthew Schaefer. The No. 1 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft was a unanimous selection for the Calder Trophy during the 2025-26 season, taking no time to solidify himself as a rising star.

Schaefer is far from the only youngster that the organization is excited about. Near the end of the campaign, fans got a cameo from Victor Eklund, another first-round pick in 2025 who is set for an expanded role with the team.

The Islanders had a third first-round selection that year and used it on teenage defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson. After an incredible season with the Barrie Colts in the OHL, he is ready to take another step in Year 2, already drawing praise from head coach Peter DeBoer.

Kashawn Aitcheson making great impression on Peter DeBoer

Jan 2, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Canada defensemen Kashawn Aitcheson (2) controls the puck against Slovakia during the second period in the quarterfinals of the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship at 3M Arena. / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“He’s as advertised,” New York’s head coach said, via Stefan Rosner of The Elmonters (subscription required). “I love the energy, love the physicality, you know? I don't think you see his game in this type of format, like we all know how he wants to play. We've seen enough of the tape, but he's a mature kid. He looks like he's put on some size. He looks like he's ready for pro hockey. He's excited, so we're excited to work with him.”

In his final campaign with the Colts, Aitcheson proved that he is ready to be a professional hockey player. He stuffed the stat sheet during the regular season, recording 70 points in 56 games, scoring 28 goals to go along with 42 assists. His plus/minus ratio was a stellar +46.

Arguably the most impressive part of his performance was that his production didn’t slow down in the playoffs. In 19 postseason games, he had 27 total points, as he lit the lamp eight times and handed out 19 assists.

While an assignment with the Hamilton Hammers, the new AHL affiliate of the Islanders, seems likely for Aitcheson, he is certainly going to make the decision as difficult as possible for the front office and coaching staff about where to place him when the season begins.

New York is loaded with blueline depth after Tony DeAngelo re-signed with the team and with Alexander Romanov returning from injury. Schaefer, Adam Pelech, Ryan Pulock, and Scott Mayfield are still around, and the team is going to give every chance to another youngster, Isaiah George, to make the roster out of training camp.

Add in Malte Gustafsson, the No. 13 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft who is eventually going to push for a spot on the top four, and the Islanders will have some incredibly difficult decisions to make.

Alas, this is a good problem to have. A team would prefer to see young players seizing the opportunity and pushing for a spot on the NHL roster instead of toiling and not developing in the AHL.