Connor Bedard and Leo Carlsson have already pushed the forward market into new territory. For the New York Islanders, though, the bigger question may be what Matthew Schaefer does to the defenseman market next.
That’s the conversation Mitch Andersen and Matt O’Leary raised on Up The Turnpike, where Schaefer’s future contract quickly became the topic after Bedard landed a $15 million five-year extension and Carlsson signed for $18 million when Anaheim matched the Flyers’ offer sheet. Those deals have naturally led to the same thought around the Islanders: what does Schaefer’s second contract look like?
The answer may not be found by comparing him to the top forwards. Defensemen live in their own salary lane, and that’s where Schaefer’s number has to be measured.
The current top end for NHL defensemen sits around $12.5 million, which makes that figure the obvious place to start when thinking about his next deal. If Schaefer keeps trending the way he has, it’s hard to imagine the Islanders getting him below that.
His rookie season already gives that idea real weight. Schaefer put up 59 points, with 23 goals and 36 assists, and that total already clears the best offensive season of Bowen Byram’s career.
Byram’s high mark is 42 points, yet he still secured a big long-term extension. Schaefer reached a higher level before he even turned 19.
The cap picture only adds more fuel to the conversation. By the time Schaefer is eligible for an extension, the league’s financial backdrop is expected to look very different, with projections calling for the cap to rise to about $113.5 million in 2027-28 and then jump again to roughly $123 million in 2028-29, when a new contract would likely kick in.
That kind of growth can make today’s massive deals look a lot smaller in a hurry.
So while $12.5 million is the current benchmark for elite defensemen, it may end up being more of a floor than a target for Schaefer. If he keeps producing and stacks a few more dominant seasons, the real question might not be whether he gets to $15 million a year - it might be whether that number eventually looks like a bargain.
In Other News...
Islanders Already Have One Contract Problem They Need To Fix
Ondrej Palats place on the Islanders roster is one of those quiet cap questions that can linger well beyond the headlines. New York took on his contract from New Jersey last season, and while he has provided modest value, the fit has not been strong enough to make the deal feel easy to move. With a $6 million cap hit attached to a player whose recent production does not quite match the price tag, the Islanders are stuck balancing what he brings on the ice against what he costs on the books.
For now, the likeliest path may be to simply live with the contract through this season and see whether Palat can make a stronger case for himself. He is set to hit free agency next summer, so the Islanders at least have a clear endpoint if they decide the deal is not worth carrying any longer. Until then, his performance will keep shaping whether this becomes a manageable placeholder or one more roster headache the front office has to solve. [Read more 🡒]
Matthew Barzal Just Entered The Islanders Third Jersey Identity Debate
The Islanders search for a new third jersey has turned into a full-blown fan project, with the clubs design contest drawing nearly 70,000 submissions as it looks for a fresh alternate look. Matthew Barzal has now added his own voice to the conversation, saying he leans toward a dark navy jersey with white and orange striping along the bottom, a combination that would nod to the teams familiar palette without feeling like a straight throwback.
Barzal also weighed in on the logo debate, saying he likes the lighthouse concept but probably sees the fisherman as the stronger focal point. The Islanders have not said which fan ideas will actually shape the final design, so the process still has some runway before anyone knows what the next third jersey will really look like. [Read more 🡒]
Matthew Schaefer Had Islanders Fans Loving His Bedard Deal Response
Matthew Schaefer didnt bite when the conversation turned to the latest wave of big NHL contracts, and that was exactly the kind of answer Islanders fans wanted to hear. The young defenseman made it clear he is focused on playing hockey, enjoying the game and helping the Islanders build toward something meaningful rather than measuring himself against the size of someone elses deal.
Schaefer also signaled that his own contract situation is not front of mind yet, leaving that business for later while he concentrates on the ice. For a team trying to keep pushing toward a Stanley Cup run, the message was simple and refreshing: the priority on Long Island is the group, the environment and the chance to win, not the paycheck attached to it. [Read more 🡒]