New York Islanders Media Availability | Mathieu Darche | Roster Announcement
you you had said pretty much from the day you drafted him that Matthew Schaefer was going to get every chance to make this roster. How how quickly in your mind did he prove that that he belonged amongst the 23? Well, listen, he had a great camp. Uh, I mean, you saw it all, his skating abilities, uh, but just the way overall he’s conducted himself in practice, uh, the way he works in practice, the way he played in those games, and he got better as camp went on, and even his first, uh, game on the road in in Philly against basically their whole lineup, you know, whenever he made a mistake in the first, it didn’t rattle him. Just had a good game after that. And uh so he’s he’s proven that he deserves to be in the lineup on Thursday in Pittsburgh and we’ll go from there. Go Andrew. And just you you went with 147. Um you know, how tough a call was that? I’m assuming you want Isaiah George to get regular playing time down in Bridgeport. But you know, you had a bunch of forwards kind of competing. Um you know, how difficult a spot was that? And then I if you could sort of update us on, you know, injured guys like Pierre Ingval and Vley and how they all might fit into this someday. Yeah. Well, listen, uh, yes, Isaiah Jordan actually had a really good camp. I’m excited. He’s 21 years old, so I want him playing minutes. Uh, which that’s why we assigned him to Bridgeport. We wanted him to be with us all weekend when we did our little team retreat in the Hamptons. So, I mean, the future’s bright for for Isaiah. He played games last year. That’s what I told him yesterday. They said, “Hey, it was a very positive camp, but we need him playing minutes. We it’s not the right fit to sit in the NHL. I’d rather have him play.” And trust me, I I’d be surprised we don’t see see him here during the year at some point. So, he’s he’s done a great job. And as far as the competition for us, but yes, we have a lot of forwards, but that’s what’s good, the internal competition as as to who’s in the lineup and what kind of minutes are you playing. So, that internal competition is always good. I’m very comfortable with the with the group we have right now. And as far as the injuries, um Simeon Varmmoff, he’s still skating. It’s a it was, you know, it’s a it was a bigger surgery, so we’re just taking it as it comes. He’s on the ice every day. He’s working hard. So, we’ll see where that goes. Pierreval will have a followup with the doctor next week. Uh so, we’ll see if he’s cleared to rejoin the team or not. So, we we we hope he will. And then after that, I mean, obviously there’s a you need work to ramp up after uh not having a training camp. It just doesn’t come overnight, but he’s skating this morning. It was a day off for the players, but he was on the ice skating. Vardy was on the ice skating. And for Kaylin Richie, it’s just a minor injury. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him on the ice in the next two, three days on his own to start just a little rehab. But we we expect in a couple weeks, he should be uh he should be good. It’s nothing major, but again, he’s a 20-year-old that you’re not going to cut the rehab by 5 days just to have him back quicker. And uh so that’s where we’re at right now injury-wise. Ethan Sears, your post. Uh hey, Matthew, thanks for doing this. Um I’m just wondering to to go back to Schaefer quickly that there’s not a ton of 18-year-olds who have come in as as defensemen and and played in the NHL regularly. I’m I’m wondering whether or not you’ve spent time looking at the history there and and if so, you know, what lessons have you taken from kind of how how to handle a situation like that? Well, you’ve seen you’ve seen teams having young guys, they keep him up and then they manage the workload, but like I said from the start, the way he’s going to play is going to dictate what we do. He’s completely earned uh his spot on the team and in the lineup. uh on October 9th, he will be in the lineup and we’ll take it as we go. Like he’s been really really impressive, you know, cuz for an 18-year-old, he’s still like his fitness testings were great in training camp. He’s strong. Uh he’s not a an undersized defenseman by any means. his skating abilities, his maturity, you know, being an 18-year-old playing professional hockey, being in the NHL, uh, in a market like New York, I think his maturity really gave me confident that that won’t be an issue because he’s I mean, you you guys have met him and, uh, from the first day we sat with him at the combine, like that’s what stood out. So, that’s what kind of comforts me that he’s he’s ready for this. and then you know we’ll start the season and see where it goes at this point. So uh but he’s earned he’s earned his spot in the lineup uh for that first game. Stephan Rouseer of the Hockey News. Thanks Matthew for doing this. When it comes to Kellen Richie just what did you hear from him this camp and also he played seven games at the wing with the ABS last year. Played some wing in camp. Do you view him as a center or winger in terms of his development going forward? Thanks. Well I think down the line it’ll probably be a sentiment but it’s easier for a sentiment to play on the wing than a winger to play center. uh coming from a winger, you know, you the center position, it’s a it’s it’s an extra step, especially in the defensive zone. He’s had a great camp. Uh honestly, like really comfortable with him on the ice. Uh he’s uh he’s competed. He we I mean, we saw even in the game in Jersey how he can make plays on the power play and uh he was able to be responsible both ways. So, he’s really done a great job at training camp. Unfortunately, that injury came and then we’ll see where it goes once he once he’s healthy. Like, uh we’ll have a few games played at that point and then we’ll we’ll make a decision once we get to u to the point where where Caleb is is ready to to play. But he’s uh listen, it’s a great prospect to have in your organization. So, we’re excited to have him. Back to Andrew Gross Tuesday. So, Matthew, you get hired in in May. you know, you have the the whirlwind, the combine, you get Schaefer, now the roster has been submitted to the league, you know, what what are your emotions and, you know, how ready do you think this team is for this coming season? Well, my emotions is finally we get going, you know, so uh it’s it’s I’m excited to send we I like how we progressed through through camp regardless of the results of some of the games. I I like how we’ve progressed, especially our last two games, the way we’ve played. Uh so that’s what I’m excited about. We have we have good depth at forward. Uh so we have uh healthy competition. So I you know it’s a uh it’s been a busy summer that I’ve really really enjoyed. Um and let’s face it I’m I guess I’m a lucky person. So I get the job and Kenny Mororrow got us the good luck to win the first overall pick. So uh and then you get a player like Matthew Schaefer. So it’s pretty good situation to come in as a new general manager. So again, there’s still some evaluation on my end that’s going to go on through the year because let’s face it, I I I’m new here. I I know the team from being in a opponent the last few years, but you know, more on your players, on their personalities. Uh that’s why I spent a lot of time communicating with players through the summer and at this training camp. Uh so we’ll keep we’ll keep going. But it’s it’s really exciting. like I can’t wait for Thursday and uh uh sometimes I almost feel like putting on my helmet, my skates, except I can’t skate anymore and my pants for some reason they shrank in retirement. They’re a bit tighter. So I’d love to be out there. Back to Stephan Ros for the hockey news. When you acquired Emil Hineman, you told us that was a guy that you really needed to have in that Dobson deal. Just what has he shown you so far in camp and preseason? He’s you saw him his shot is elite. like even I knew his shot was elite but in I still remember the first practic practice of training camp he was going bar and in uh on every shot and his compete level that’s what I like you know when I told you guys from the start I want players that compete that battle that’s what he does he played that he plays that straight game stop and start on pucks he doesn’t go for the big loop and uh uh he goes on the fore that’s why he’s a good fit right now where we have him to go get the puck for those guys and and when you give him an opportunity he he he can score. So, I I’m I’m really excited. I thought he’s he’s I think he’s had a great camp and hopefully he keeps progressing and being a solid contributor for us. Peter Schwarz, WF. Hey, Matthew. Um your your thoughts on the the prospect pool because in past year some people have questioned the the depth of of the Islanders prospect. So, how confident are you that if you had to go to Bridgeport, you know, to fill a role or just the overall, you know, thoughts on the prospect pool and and and how excited you are about that? I mean, I think we we we have a lot of good prospects. I mean, I mean, one of them is going to be in our lineup. Another one, we’ll see when he gets uh healthy, but we have Isaiah George, like you we mentioned earlier, that’s down there. uh you know we have some guys in college too that are coming in the next year or so. Uh so I’m excited about what’s coming and we’ve signed guys in Bridgeport too and we have like I told all the guys in Bridgeport when they went down I said what happened last year in Bridgeport I couldn’t care less. Everybody starts with a clean slate with me. So whatever the results of last year doesn’t affect. So go down there and I’ll be at a lot of games. I’m actually going next Sunday to the game in Bridgeport. Uh cuz we don’t play and I’ll be at a lot of games and and be the person that when I call Rocky and I go, who here’s what we need? Who should be the guy that we call up? Like you want to be the guy that Rocky says, “This guy’s been playing hard. He’s been playing the right way.” So, and I’m of the mentality, like I’ve mentioned before, like I’m not here to justify draft picks or not. So whether the guy’s a draft pick or the player is a college junior free agent that we acquired or just a free agent that we signed, whoever plays best for what we need, we’ll get the opportunity because that’s, you know, like I said before, the draft is just one way of acquiring a player. So uh the goal is to reward the players that play the right way with again it depends what you need. Also, it could be a winger, could be a center. Uh is it more of an offensive guy we need? is it more of a checker? So, all these affect who we call up, but um I think Bridgeport will do will do well. And uh like again, the AHL is the toughest league to coach in because you know the NHL team sneezes and you get sick down there. So, you have your injuries, you have the NHL injuries. So, the reality of it, it’s it’s it’s always a challenge. But, I’m really confident with coaching staff we have down there. Uh, and the players like a lot of those players that I didn’t know, like you know, a few of those guys got more than one game at training camp cuz I wanted to see as many players as possible this year, but we decided to go with reward with guys that had more than one game. So, um, you know, we’ll see how they play in in Bridgeport. Shannon, Shannon Hogan, MSU Network. Hi, Matthew. Thank you for your time. Excited about Thursday. wondering overall, you touched a little bit on being familiar with this group just from playing against them, but when you look at the whole body of your camp, what stood out to you overall about this group, were there any surprises from what you saw from maybe some of the veteran guys who you thought you knew and and now maybe you know a little bit better? Thanks. Well, I mean what I like actually about our team is like I’ve challenged some players too. like I felt our practice standards through camp went up which that’s what I wanted like the first few days not that it was bad but I was like you know I think we have another step and as it went on especially the last four or five practices you’ve noticed for whoever was at our practices the energy went up like guys are cheering when they’re scoring and there’s a little banter going on so it creates competition in practice and I want our practice standards to be high and I just felt that we kept progressing during camp which that’s that’s what I I was the most happy about at training camp. I really enjoy and at the end of the day, practices don’t win you games, but practices set you up to win games. And I really like that we progressed and the energy we’ve had the last few practices. You see, the players are excited now. Like I feel there’s more life in practice. Uh and I told the players like it’s it they took it upon themselves because at the end of the day, it can’t be the GM. It’s not always the coach like the peer accountability, the peer uh how can I say that like the peer competition that like you expect everyone to work hard in practice. Don’t call each other out if they’re if they don’t. And I really like how we’ve progressed through training camp. And hopefully we have two more solid practices before we head to Pittsburgh and get ready on Thursday. Andrew Ghost Newsuesday. Hey, Matthew. I I was just curious, have you seen enough through training camp to to go, you know, you and Patrick had the plan to to move Matthew Barzel back and use him as a center again? Are are you still is that still the plan based on what you’ve seen through six preseason games in training camp? Yes, for sure. That’s how we’re going to start. It doesn’t mean that during games sometimes when Patrick plays with the lines, it doesn’t go a shift on the wing here or there. I think he’s done it one or two games like that. But yes, uh, you know, Matthew can use his speed and, you know, uh, he’s an elite player, so we’re we’re comfortable with having him at center. Back to Ethan, here’s New York Post. Um, ju Matthew, just wondering what you made of uh, of Max Shabanov’s camp and kind of the way he’s uh, adjusted to North America so far. Well, first of all, you saw him at their rookie camp. Like, you can see he was a step ahead of most of the rookies and as he should be. He’s 24 years old and he’s played in the KHL. Uh it was an adjustment at the start. Like we knew it was going to be an adjustment because it’s a North American game. It’s But honestly, he’s been uh I felt he’s progressed. The last game was his best game. Not because he scored, but he uh he made more plays and he won more battles. It’s it’s it’s a it’s a smaller I I shouldn’t say that cuz KHL now mostly they play with the NHL eyes but like just the way the North American game is played and you can see a skill level. So I’m really excited to see him progress. Uh he’s earned a spot in the lineup as well. Uh so we’ll see we’ll see where it goes. But he’s I just felt he got better in camp. And you know what what I like the most is he’s been looking for uh like one day Patrick said like he was he come out comes out of his office and Shabby was just waiting there and like he he was waiting for 20 30 minutes and go next time just knock on my door and like by himself he would go to the coaches and because obviously the language at the start so they can sit with him because when we talk about systems on the eyes but they can go over them again with him so that came from him. It wasn’t even the coaches asking. So, I really that’s a good mindset for him to have that he he knows he has some things to work on and by himself he went to the coaches to to get that information. And that’s why I think in the last couple games he’s played, he’s progressed. He’s he’s made a few of those flashy plays that you see him. He bounced off the boards and some things between the legs and uh and then ironically is the way he scored is almost a a grinding type. He drove the net and uh Tippy gave him a great pass and that he tipped it over the goalie. So uh I like the way he’s progressed. It’s it’s an adjustment playing the North American game and I think he’s progressed as camp went and I’m I’m excited to see how the season’s going to go. Joe Panto and New York. Matthew, obviously the focus and the priority is on the moving parts around you, but since you’ve arrived here, has there maybe been anything that you’ve learned about yourself over these last four or five months? Uh, I know the golf is impressive on Long Island, but I’m joking. Um, no, you know what? I felt prepared for this. To be honest with you, I’ve been extremely fortunate that in Tampa, Julian Breeze had me involved in every single facet of the hockey operations department. So, I I I was I felt ready like I I nothing was new. It was new cuz I at the end of the day I make the decision and it started obviously with the draft and the the trade that we made and all that. So obviously you’re you’re you’re wearing that one because you’re the one at the end of the day like when I was in Tampa I was giving my opinion but Julian made the decision. Now I made the decision but I uh I think I I trusted myself to to do to to work with my strengths which is communicating being collaborative with the people in the office. Like I want input from everyone. And I want people to challenge me and uh and challenge the way of thinking. There’s different opinions and let’s discuss them and with the coaches. There’s been a lot of communication with the coaches. Every day we sit together and we chat about the roster, the players. Uh at the end of the day, am I making this the decision? Of course I am because I’m the general manager. At the end, someone needs to make the decision. But again, I think I just realized that I I I expect it to work a certain way because of the way I am. I’m not trying to be Julian Breez because we’re different people. I have to be me. And I’m confident that I think I’m heading in the right direction. You know, he helped me get to know the players quicker because like I said, I like to communicate with players and uh so I’m excited to move forward. Step across the hockey on and off the ice. What did Anthony Dlair show you so far during camp? Actually, you know, we we took it easy for him at the start just to make sure that his his groin was fine. And look at the way he’s played in the games. I think he had a point in every game. He scored two goals. He had the a lot of sauce on that last pass to Emily. That was a hell of a pass that landed perfectly. So, I’m really happy with his he came with a great mindset. Uh, you know, obviously everybody knew that he met with Patrick this summer and uh honestly is great positive attitude and uh he’s going to be uh a big part of our team. And you know what’s great with with with Duke is he can play everywhere in the lineup, too. And uh uh I liked his commitment, how he came in and every game I thought he he was one of our good forwards at at training
Hear from Islanders General Manager and Executive Vice President Mathieu Darche following the announcement of the Islanders Roster.
The Islanders Roster contains 14 forwards, 7 defensemen and 2 goalies
FORWARDS (14)
Mathew Barzal
Casey Cizikas
Jonathan Drouin
Anthony Duclair
Marc Gatcomb
Emil Heineman
Simon Holmstrom
Bo Horvat
Anders Lee
Kyle MacLean
Jean-Gabriel Pageau
Kyle Palmieri
Max Shabanov
Max Tsyplakov
DEFENSEMEN (7)
Adam Boqvist
Tony DeAngelo
Scott Mayfield
Adam Pelech
Ryan Pulock
Alexander Romanov
Matthew Schaefer
GOALTENDERS (2)
David Rittich
Ilya Sorokin