The New York Islanders and Brayden Schenn Have a Fresh Start

The end of August is quickly approaching, which means that the New York Islanders will begin playing hockey next month. The narrative around the Islanders has been about the 2027-28 team's third jersey, with the completion of the fan contest. With the players already hitting the ice in preparation for the upcoming season, the talk about the players can resume. The team is largely the same, but Brayden Schenn will have his first full season as a member of the Islanders.

Although the team did not make any large additions, other than Matias Maccelli, the team did lose a significant contributor in captain Anders Lee. Having captained the team since the departure of John Tavares, Lee received a three-year contract for $16.2 million from the Utah Mammoth.

The leadership in the room is still strong, and all signs are pointing to Bo Horvat donning the C next season. Schenn was the captain in St. Louis before being acquired by the Islanders at the trade deadline. With 19 games under his belt in blue and orange, Schenn will have the opportunity to take a bigger role on the team both on and off the ice.

The Islanders collapsed after the trade deadline and, more notably, the acquisitions of Schenn, Ondrej Palat, and Carson Soucy. The team and, more particularly, general manager Mathieu Darche took a lot of heat for the collapse and for not reaching the playoffs. Whether the fault fell on any of the new players can never be determined, but Schenn learned a valuable lesson in an already successful career.

Schenn will not be the top scorer on this team, and that is fine. His role was never intended to be the first-line center or replacement for Anders Lee. This is a character player who brings a wealth of experience and can play a strong, physical two-way game.

The Saskatchewan native has been consistent offensively, scoring 18 goals over the last two seasons, and despite his physical play, he has been reliable and in the lineup for over 80 games over the last three seasons.

The bad taste of last season will subside, and a fresh start for Schenn will bring a new respect and love for the 35-year-old’s contribution to the Islanders.

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