Overview
- General manager Mathieu Darche confirmed Schaefer will dress Thursday in Pittsburgh, paired with Scott Mayfield and running the second power-play unit.
- Under NHL-CHL rules, the 18-year-old can play up to nine NHL games before the first year of his entry-level deal is used, with Erie as the only alternative assignment.
- Darche credited Schaefer’s skating, poise, and preseason performance, saying he “completely earned his spot.”
- The opening roster lists Pierre Engvall, Calum Ritchie, Daylan Kuefler, and Jesse Nurmi on Season-Opening Injured Reserve, with Ethan Bear and Semyon Varlamov on IR.
- Schaefer is the franchise’s first No. 1 pick since John Tavares in 2009 and is set to become the second-youngest Islanders player to appear in a regular-season game.