{"id":547650,"date":"2026-04-08T16:13:19","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T16:13:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/547650\/"},"modified":"2026-04-08T16:13:19","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T16:13:19","slug":"daylan-kuefler-talks-chemistry-playoff-push-and-making-every-day-count","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/547650\/","title":{"rendered":"Daylan Kuefler Talks Chemistry, Playoff Push, and Making Every Day Count"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>(Photo Credit: Jackson Sokoloski \/ Bridgeport Islanders)<\/p>\n

Follow me on X\/Twitter @Resnick_Media<\/a><\/p>\n

With six games left in the regular season, The Bridgeport Islanders sit fourth in the Atlantic Division, on the cusp of a playoff berth. This season has seen contributions from everyone. Players like Adam Beckman, Liam Foudy, and Matthew Highmore lead the way as the main point producers. Yet, it\u2019s Daylan Kuefler who stands out as Bridgeport\u2019s unsung hero.<\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s blocking a shot, delivering a big hit, or scoring a clutch goal, Kuefler has stepped up in the biggest moments. Scoring 9G-14A-23P in 63 games, the Red Deer, Alberta, native has developed into a key piece for Bridgeport.<\/p>\n

Spending his first season in junior hockey with the Phoenix Jr. Coyotes, Kuefler lived with NHL veteran Shane Doan. He reflected on how that experience helped him grow as a player.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was huge for me. It was his last year in the NHL, so just being around him and seeing how good of a person he is meant a lot. I also got to see the professional side of the game, how he takes care of himself and approaches things day to day. Being able to experience that as a young player was really important”.\u201d<\/p>\n

Next, he played for the Kamloops Blazers in the WHL alongside Fraser Minten and Emmitt Finnie, two players who have established themselves as solid NHL talents. Kuefler says that seeing his two best friends succeed at the next level has fueled his own drive to get there.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose two guys are two of my best friends in the world. I lived with both of them in Kamloops, so I\u2019m really excited to see what they\u2019re doing and I\u2019m proud of them. At the same time, I want to be there too, that\u2019s the goal. It\u2019s kind of an ongoing joke between us that they\u2019re there and I\u2019m not, just some friendly banter. But honestly, I\u2019m really happy for them and I hope to be there with them someday.\u201d<\/p>\n

The last few years, he has dealt with a few injuries that have slowed his progression. This season, he has stayed healthy and has been a huge part of the team on both sides of the ice. Kuefler shared how lessons he learned in his recovery have helped him become the player he is today.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I think it’s really important. Those two years were tough, it\u2019s hard not being out there with the guys, not being in the fight and not playing the game you love. They were long years, but there was some good that came out of it. I was able to get stronger, get faster, and spend a lot of time in the gym, so I think it helped my development. Obviously, not being out there was a struggle, but I\u2019m happy to be healthy, back this year, and playing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Being in the lineup has helped Kuefler develop his overall game, as his point production has seen a significant boost. Playing in the top-six for most of the season, he\u2019s making the most of every scoring chance.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it’s a little bit of everything. My skating has been a big key for me. It took me a bit longer than others to grow into my body, but I feel like I\u2019m finally getting there. Being stronger on my feet and moving up and down the ice more efficiently has helped a lot. I work on all aspects of my game, but skating has probably been the biggest focus.\u201d<\/p>\n

Going into this season, Bridgeport only had one natural center in Matthew Highmore. Kuefler stepped up to make the position change, and by consistently winning faceoffs, he\u2019s made the transition look effortless. I asked if the change was a coaching decision or something he pushed for.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, it was more of a coach\u2019s suggestion, like \u2018hey, we\u2019d like to try you here.\u2019 I\u2019ve really enjoyed the role. I like taking on new challenges like that, it\u2019s exciting. Early on, there was definitely a learning curve, especially with faceoffs, I hadn\u2019t taken one since I was five or six. So it was about working on the details and getting the positioning down. But at the end of the day, it all translates, and I think it\u2019s been beneficial. It\u2019s just another piece I can add to my game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Constantly getting new linemates, the former New York Islanders Draft Pick often finds Liam Foudy on his wing. He spoke about his chemistry and on-ice relationship with the veteran winger.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>(Photo Credit: Jackson Sokoloski \/ Bridgeport Islanders)<\/p>\n

\u201cLiam and I have been joined at the hip for a while. We\u2019ll have a few games apart here and there, but we usually end up back together. I love playing with Fouds (Foudy), he\u2019s so talented and fast, and he makes the game easy. I just have to get him the puck and find my way to the net, and he usually gets it there. I think we\u2019ve really grown together this year, just building chemistry and learning where each other is going to be. It\u2019s been really good.\u201d<\/p>\n

In his three seasons in Bridgeport, Kuefler has played under two head coaches, Rick Kowalsky and Rocky Thompson. He is quick to note how much Rocky cares, crediting the team\u2019s success to his bench boss.<\/p>\n

\u201cRocky\u2019s been amazing. He really cares, and I think he\u2019s done a great job. Everyone\u2019s a little different, and he understands how to bring the most out of each guy on our team. Obviously, we\u2019ve had some success this year, it\u2019s a big step forward, which has been awesome. Now we\u2019re getting ready for a playoff push, and I\u2019m excited to see what we can do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kuefler\u2019s gritty style is what sets him apart. Earlier in the year, I wrote an article on how he plays the game. He explained the roots of that style, and why maintaining it is such an important part of his identity.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s a combination of things. I\u2019ve always had that competitive edge, and early in my junior career I had to play harder, a different role. I had to play that fourth line role just to stay in the lineup. I\u2019ve carried that with me and made it a part of my game, and I think it\u2019s important to keep that edge. It all really comes down to not wanting to lose. I hate losing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Finally, I asked Kuefler what he\u2019s taken away from his experience in pro hockey and how it has helped him grown as a player.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, it’s the dream. I just try not to take any days for granted. If you told me six or seven years ago that I\u2019d be playing professional hockey, I would\u2019ve called you crazy. So it\u2019s really a dream come true to be here, and hopefully I can keep taking the next steps. I\u2019m just trying to enjoy every day and not take it any of it for granted.\u201d<\/p>\n

With Bridgeport on the verge of clinching a playoff berth for the first time in four years, Daylan Kuefler enters the stretch as one of the most important players for the New York Islanders\u2019 top affiliate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"(Photo Credit: Jackson Sokoloski \/ Bridgeport Islanders) Follow me on X\/Twitter @Resnick_Media With six games left in the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":547651,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5110],"tags":[5,122,3328,159,5190,5189,4],"class_list":{"0":"post-547650","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-new-york-islanders","8":"tag-hockey","9":"tag-islanders","10":"tag-new-york","11":"tag-new-york-islanders","12":"tag-newyork","13":"tag-newyorkislanders","14":"tag-nhl"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nhl\/116369976332776968","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/547650","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=547650"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/547650\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/547651"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=547650"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=547650"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=547650"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}