Islanders will need to hire private security for star rookie

Tuesday night’s brawl involving the New York Islanders and Boston Bruins has brought one key issue to the forefront. The Isles will need to hire private security for star rookie Matthew Schaefer.

The incident during the second period of Tuesday night’s tilt illustrated how Schaefer has become a target for opposing teams. Nikita Zadorov’s thunderous hit on the 18-year-old drew the immediate ire of the Islanders’ players on the ice.

But that was a reaction to the initial hit. At some point, the Islanders will need to focus on protecting their most prized possession.

A piece in the NY Post quoted Patrick Roy, stating:

“Eventually, he’s gonna have the same protection as a star player.”

Roy was then asked about how long that would take, to which he replied:

“I hope not too long.”

So, what does that mean? Does it mean someone will be assigned full-time to patrol the ice for evil-doers? Or could that mean a trade for an enforcer-type might be on the horizon?

Unfortunately, the Islanders don’t have anyone like Matt Martin on the team anymore. Martin could have been the immediate answer to that situation. But short of asking someone like Casey Cizikas to become a vigilante protector, the Isles will have to kick the tires on someone who could roam the ice offering protection for Schaefer from the schoolyard bullies.

Islanders may need entire team to protect Schaefer

The use of the enforcer types has fallen out of favor across the NHL. The idea of the one-dimensional goons has fallen out of style for quite some time. As the league shifted toward more skill and speed, the idea of predominantly physical players without much skill has led clubs to pass on such players.

In particular, sacrificing a roster, even a fourth-line or bottom-pairing spot, proves costly for most teams. The rationale is that lining up a 12th forward or 6th defenseman to play 10 minutes a night just to provide toughness in the lineup is not something most coaches want.

A good example is Matt Rempe with the New York Rangers. Rempe forged a reputation as a goon-like player. But he was forced to up his game in order to remain in the Rangers’ lineup. Other enforcers have found it challenging to remain in the NHL.

The Montreal Canadiens essentially play with five defensemen when Arber Xhekaj is in the lineup. The Toronto Maple Leafs dumped Ryan Reaves on the San Jose Sharks just because he doesn’t score at all.

So, the Islanders may have no choice but to ask the entire team to rally behind their prized prospect. Tuesday night’s attack from Zadorov is perhaps the best example of what can go wrong if the Islanders don’t send a message soon.

Unless there’s a deal in the pipeline for someone like Matt Martin, the whole lineup will need to pay extra close attention to Schaefer when he’s on the ice.