Matthew Schaefer bounces back after rough start to NY Islanders pre-season finale

New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy has been consistent all training camp in how he evaluates his youngest players: mistakes are going to happen, but it’s how they respond that matters. On Saturday night, 18-year-old defenseman Matthew Schaefer gave him a textbook example.

Schaefer, the Islanders’ top draft pick in June, had a difficult opening period in the preseason finale, a 4-3 win against the Philadelphia Flyers. The pace and physicality of an NHL-caliber opponent pushed him into some uncomfortable spots. But rather than let the rough start sink his night, Schaefer regrouped and settled in as the game went on — something his head coach noticed right away.

“Well, it was a tough first period, let’s be honest,” Roy said. “But I thought he bounced pretty good. He did a nice job. Keep his game simple and that’s how you have to do it. And I don’t think he let that affect himself. So that’s where I’m proud of him.”

Roy, who broke into the NHL at 20, drew from his own experiences when explaining why Schaefer’s bounce-back mattered so much. “It is huge. And the reason why I’m saying this is I lived it when I was playing,” Roy said. “I was 20 years old when I started playing NHL and there was nights where you could lose your confidence very easily. So I don’t want it to happen to him. I want to make sure that he stayed the course and focused on what he needs to do. And there’s nights where [you] just keep it simple.”

For a teenager trying to crack an NHL roster, Roy’s endorsement carried weight. Schaefer may still have plenty to learn, but showing that kind of resilience was as important as any highlight play he’s made this camp.