Schaefer, Misa and Hagens left an impression on NY Islanders GM Mathieu Darche

The NHL Scouting Combine isn’t just about watching kids ride bikes until they puke or seeing who can bench-press the most. For the New York Islanders, it’s a chance to dig deeper—way deeper—into what kind of player (and person) they might be bringing into the room.

New GM Mathieu Darche isn’t just looking for raw skill; he’s hunting for character, work ethic, and hockey IQ. He's looking for a franchise-altering player on the ice and someone who can grow to become the face of the organization for years to come. It's why Darche went to dinner and spent quality time with three top prospects: Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa, and James Hagens.

“Sometimes in those interviews, you hear a lot of the same answers," said Darche. "But you can see the guy, if he’s genuine. Honestly, everybody at the top of the board was impressive."

If the Islanders hold on to the No. 1 overall pick, which is very likely unless a team overwhelms them with an offer, they're going to take the best player available. In Schaefer, all signs are that they would be getting not only top-tier talent but also a player who is mature beyond his years after dealing with the personal adversity of losing his mother to cancer. It made the collarbone injury he suffered at the World Juniors and shortened his OHL season seem insignificant.

"I've been through a lot in my life and I'd rather an injury than lose someone I love, said Schaefer. "There's a lot worse things than can happen than injuries and I'm pretty positive with my mindset and I'm driven to come back. Injuries aren't fun, but I'm driven to get better and come back even stronger."

If Schaefer's on-ice performance wasn't enough to rank him as the consensus top pick, his intangibles are equally impressive. By all accounts, Hagens and Misa also stood out during their extended time with the Islanders front office, and in some ways, Darche can't go wrong at No. 1

“I don’t really want to go into specifics with players but we saw some impressive young men,” Darche told Newsday. “We knew they all have their skills, they all have their qualities. All I know is with the first pick I’ll get a special player, so that’s what I’m excited about. But it was great to spend time with them. We spent more time with some kids than others. It helps make our decision for June 27."