The Islanders wasted little time turning Training Camp into something that looked and felt like hockey.
On Friday, New York ran its first scrimmage of camp, a 40-minute session that finished in a 1-1 tie between the Blue and White groups. Bo Horvat scored for the Blue side, while Victor Eklund buried the White team’s goal off a Matthew Schaefer assist.
For head coach Pete DeBoer, that kind of live action was the point.
"It's really hard in practice to mimic that game feel where you've got bodies around you and contact and time and space," Islanders Head Coach Pete DeBoer said. "It doesn't matter the drill you're doing; it's hard to replicate that unless you're scrimmaging.
We wanted to get into that scrimmage situation quickly. It's also a way for us to see guys and give them an opportunity to show what they can do because we don't have a lot of exhibition games.
So, this would be our version of another small exhibition game and a chance to show what you can do in a game situation."
The goalie rotation was split right down the middle. Semyon Varlamov and Vitek Vanecek handled the Blue Group net, while Ilya Sorokin and Joshua Kotai split duties for the White Group. Each goalie logged 20 minutes.
Eklund kept making noise, too. The 16th overall pick in the 2025 Draft has now scored in three straight scrimmage games when you combine Rookie Camp and Training Camp.
"He's going to play some exhibition games against NHL teams, which is important," DeBoer said on Eklund. "He’s scored in every game that we've stuck him… We just have to continue on that path."
With camp shortened this season, the Islanders are trying to squeeze a lot into a little time. DeBoer said special teams has to get up to speed quickly, and that includes both the power play and penalty kill.
"We've got to get the power play and penalty killing too, that's the challenge for us in the short camp and small number of games and small number of practices as we have," DeBoer said. "We've got to try and get up to speed on all those things as quickly as possible."
Friday’s scrimmage also offered a look at how the groups were lined up.
The Blue side featured Simon Holmstrom, Bo Horvat and Kyle Palmieri up front, with Onrej Palat, Casey Cizikas and Anthony Duclair behind them, followed by Pierre Engvall, Daylan Kuefler and Mitchell Chaffee, then Tomas Poletin, Luca Romano and Matt Luff. Matthew Highmore was also listed.
On defense, the Blue group had Adam Pelech with Tony DeAngelo, Alexander Romanov with Scott Mayfield, and Marhsall Warren with Calle Odelius. Vladimir Dravecky was also listed, with Varlamov and Vanecek in goal.
The White group’s forward combinations were Matias Maccelli, Cal Ritchie and Brayden Schenn; Victor Eklund, JG Pageau and Emil Heineman; Cole Eiserman, Kyle MacLean and Joey Larson; and Alex Jefferies, Liam Foudy and Daniil Prokhorov. The defense pairs were Matthew Schaefer with Ryan Pulock, Isaiah George with Matt Kessel, and Kashawn Aitcheson with Ethan Bear. Jesse Pulkkinen was also listed, with Sorokin and Kotai in net.
In Other News...
Islanders Have An Early Camp Test For A Contract Fans Still Question
Pierre Engvall was back on the ice for the Islanders as training camp opened, a welcome sight after he missed all of last season following hip and ankle surgeries. The forward skated with the first group on Day 1, giving the club an early look at where he stands physically as the team begins sorting out lines, roles and expectations for the season ahead.
His return also brings renewed attention to the long contract he signed in 2023, which still has plenty of runway left. For a player whose health and production have been under the microscope, camp is an immediate test, and it comes at a time when Islanders fans are still looking for clearer answers about how he fits into the bigger picture. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Camp Just Got More Urgent With DeBoer Taking An Unusual Approach
A shortened training camp already gives the Islanders less room for error, and Peter DeBoer is leaning into that reality with an approach meant to sharpen physical play and defensive-zone detail before the schedule gets even longer. With the NHL moving into an expanded 84-game season, there is little time for gradual buildup, so every on-ice session carries a little more weight than usual.
Mathew Barzals absence for most of camp only adds to the urgency, especially for a team trying to get its structure set early. His availability for the opener is still unresolved, which leaves the Islanders working through camp with one of their most important pieces on the sidelines while the rest of the roster tries to absorb a different kind of preparation than the usual preseason routine. [Read more 🡒]
Former Islanders Pick Just Took A Telling Turn In His Career
Oliver Wahlstroms next stop has taken him well away from the NHL grind. The former Islanders first-round pick, who has spent parts of six seasons in the league, signed with SHL club Djurgarden after spending last season exclusively in the AHL with San Jose. For a player who has spent recent years on the fringe of NHL rosters, the move points to a different kind of opportunity, one built around regular ice time and a little more certainty.
For the Islanders, Wahlstroms path is another reminder of how quickly the league can shift for even a highly regarded young forward. Once seen as one of the organizations more notable betting chips, he now heads overseas in search of a steadier role and more secure contract situation. The one unanswered question is whether this becomes a reset that gets him back on an NHL track, or the start of a longer stay away from North America. [Read more 🡒]