His line with Drouin and Palmieri hasn’t allowed a shot on goal at five-on-five and created four high danger chances, per Natural Stat Trick. Roy has always been a proponent of good veterans helping young players adjust to the pace of play in the NHL, so it’s no surprise that he likes the way Drouin and Palmieri are helping him along.

“Playing with Drouin and Palmieri, he’s going to learn a lot,” Roy said. “I feel like they’ll be great teachers for him, great mentors.”

Poise is a quality that stands out in Ritchie’s game. As Ritchie continues to develop his defensive game and strengthen his offense ability, Palmieri said the 20-year-old’s got a strong foundation.

“As a 20-year-old, to step in and play with that kind of poise is impressive,” Palmieri said. “For Drouin and I, we want to make sure he’s playing his game. There’s a reason he’s in this spot and the more we can talk to him and help him, it’ll make us more effective as a line.”

Though Sunday marked the first game the trio played as a line, there was a familiar component. Ritchie and Drouin played with the Colorado Avalanche last season, getting to know each other during Avs training camp and the beginning of last season. Drouin remembers Ritchie’s skill from last year and has watched his game grow, noticing the strides he has made in 12 months’ time. Between his seven-game stint with Colorado to start his NHL career, Ritchie put up a 70-point campaign for the Oshawa Generals and reported to Islanders training camp with a new gear to his game.

“His game is more mature,” Drouin said. “He had a good year in junior last year, a lot of stuff we talked about in Colorado when he got sent down, he worked on it and he’s more mature and responsible in some areas. He’s an offensive player, you want to let his skill shine.”

Drouin has been a mentor figure for Ritchie before their Islander days. Drouin made it a point to continue the relationship over the past year, especially when Ritchie was competing for Team Canada in the 2025 World Juniors tournament.

“He reached out to me a few times throughout the season,” Ritchie said. “In the World Juniors he checked in on me and made sure I was doing good,” Ritchie said. “He’s been great to me ever since I met him.”