NY Islanders coach Patrick Roy postgame: Updates on injuries and rookie impressions

The New York Islanders’ first preseason game of 2024-25 had a little bit of everything—moments of promise, flashes of youth, and a scare in the third period. Ultimately, it ended in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday night, but the night carried plenty of storylines. After the game, head coach Patrick Roy provided his immediate impressions of the game.

On Kashawn Aitcheson’s Injury
Roy confirmed that forward Kashawn Aitcheson, who had to be helped off the ice after a collision with Flyers defenseman Noah Juulsen, is “fine” and officially listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. “I thought that was knee-on-knee,” Roy admitted of the play. “But hey, it goes fast, it’s a tough call to make on the ice.”

On Matthew Schaefer’s Debut
Roy was glowing about 2025 first-overall pick Matthew Schaefer’s preseason debut. He singled out Schaefer’s effort to hustle back and break up a breakaway in overtime: “That backcheck was out of this world.” He added: “He’s only 18 years old, so it’s pretty impressive to see the way he’s playing. You could tell the fans love him.” Roy also praised Schaefer’s eagerness to learn: “He wants to be a difference-maker. He wants to succeed. It’s very refreshing and fun to watch.”

On Marshall Warren
Roy was equally enthusiastic about Long Island native Marshall Warren, who scored in the game and looked confident throughout. “I was happy for him. He had a really good camp last year and I thought he had a great game today. He wasn’t afraid to jump in the rush, and that goal he scored was an example of him just going for it. You can see how much more confident he feels out there.”

Other Takeaways

Roy said Jonathan Drouin and Maxim Shabanov looked “a little rusty at first” but found their chemistry as the game went on. He emphasized patience with Mathew Barzal’s return to center after injuries: “He needs time, but he looked good out there. He’s got too much talent not to be fine.” On new goalie David Rittich: “I always like when it looks easy, and he made it look easy tonight. He gave us a chance to stay in the game.”