- Matthew Schaefer says wearing the Islanders’ “C” would be an honor but isn’t his focus
- GM Mathieu Darche could name a captain before the Sept. 30 opener
- Read below for Schaefer’s full answer and where Bo Horvat and Brayden Schenn fit
The New York Islanders have an open captaincy, and the most obvious candidate for it is not campaigning.
Matthew Schaefer, who turns 19 on Sept. 5, was asked Monday at the Smilezone Foundation Celebrity Golf Tournament in Brampton, Ontario about taking over the letter Anders Lee left behind. He told NHL.com he is happy to wait.
“It would be such an honor (to be captain). There have been so many great (Islanders captains), but at the end of the day we have so many leaders like Bo Horvat, Brayden Schenn who have all been captains and are all our leaders too. I’m still young so I’m in no rush.”
Both of the veterans he named have done the job. Horvat was in his fourth season as Vancouver’s captain when the Islanders traded for him in January 2023, and Schenn was in his third year wearing it in St. Louis when New York acquired him on March 6.
Lee had the role for eight seasons before signing a three-year deal with the Utah Mammoth on July 1.
General manager Mathieu Darche was asked whether the team plans to fill the spot before the Sept. 30 opener:
“I wouldn’t be surprised if we do, (but) there’s no rush on that front. We have a lot of leaders on our team. We have former captains, so I’m not worried about the leadership on our team, that’s for sure.”
Schaefer earned the conversation in one year. He scored 23 goals as a rookie defenseman, matching Brian Leetch’s 1988-89 mark, and added 59 points while averaging 24:41 a night in all 82 games.
He won the Calder Trophy unanimously, taking all 198 first-place votes.
Bryan Trottier, a four-time Cup winner on Long Island, thinks the kid could handle it today. The Hall of Famer was asked about Schaefer taking on a letter this season.
“He’s a young leader. I’m sure he would embrace the opportunity to wear a letter. I don’t think that would affect his game much as far as how he plays. He’s just a terrific kid.”
Pete DeBoer called him a future captain earlier this month. Schaefer says a letter would not change anything about how he carries himself.
“The reason you get picked is because of who you are and what you are about so don’t change anything, just keep being you,” he said.
Darche has two months to decide whether the best player on the roster is also the right name for the “C” in 2026-27.
