"Matthew Schaefer looks like he's on the fast track to earn a spot in the Islanders' lineup, and it's something we should have expected. The burning question with Schaefer was: Is he fully 100 percent healthy to take on the physical demands of the NHL? So far in the preseason, he's answered that question for us. Schaefer will have his ups and downs like all rookies, but he's a brewing playmaker who will put up solid numbers once he's acclimated to the NHL."
"While he's always in Vezina contention, Ilya Sorokin has put up back-to-back subpar seasons by his own standards. Between 2023-24 and 2024-25, Sorokin has just a 0.908 save percentage and a 2.86 GAA, with six shutouts and a 0.617 quality starts percentage. Not bad numbers, and anyone routinely putting them up in today's game is No. 1 goaltender material. But Sorokin's on another level, something he displayed during his first three seasons in the NHL."
Mathieu Darche's first season coincides with increased optimism after a productive offseason that altered roster direction. Matthew Schaefer appears healthy, likely to earn NHL minutes and project near 50 points with roughly 42–45 assists while developing into a playmaking catalyst. Ilya Sorokin is expected to rebound toward top-three Vezina form after two subpar seasons by his standards, improving save percentage and goals-against metrics. Defensive play should benefit from added personnel and improved offensive balance, producing a more effective overall team performance and stronger second-half results.
Read at Eyes On Isles
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