Why Pete DeBoer decided the NY Islanders were the right fit for him

In just a few weeks, Pete DeBoer would have had his pick of the litter when it comes to head coaching vacancies in the NHL. Along with Bruce Cassidy, he likely would have been the biggest name available, and there were rumors that the Toronto Maple Leafs were keen on acquiring his services.

But now and for the foreseeable future, DeBoer is the head coach of the NY Islanders. So why choose the Islanders now when he could have waited and made his decision from there?

“The decision was the people,” DeBoer said. “There's a lot of familiarity with the division, this area of the country, the passion of the cities in this area. But most importantly, I think what Matthew (Darche) sold me on is the vision here.”

One of the focal points that has brought that vision to life is the phenomenon that has become Matthew Schaefer. Though DeBoer hasn't coached in the NHL this year, he was an assistant coach for Canada at the Olympics, meaning he had input on the final roster and took in plenty of Schaefer's games.

“I couldn't believe my eyes the first half of the year, what I was seeing from an 18-year-old, and the maturity in his game and how dynamic he was,” DeBoer said. “I’m really excited to work with him and get to know him as a young man.”

Coming into the NHL, Schaefer's offense was never in question, and any critiques of his game were on the defensive end. While Schaefer has been much better than advertised in his own end, DeBoer is the type of coach who can bring out the best in a defender, and could skyrocket Schaefer into another echelon of defenseman.