Matthew Schaefer didn’t need much convincing about what Mathew Barzal and Matias Maccelli can do for the Islanders. The 19-year-old defenseman’s reaction said plenty on its own.
When the idea of skating with those two was raised, Schaefer’s eyes widened and a grin spread across his face. He understands exactly what their speed means for a team that wants more juice in transition and more firepower in the top six. He also understands what it could mean for him as the Islanders’ best skater, especially when the rush starts to open up around him.
That possibility moved a little closer on Saturday. Barzal and Maccelli both switched out of the red, non-contact jerseys they had worn since returning to practice on Wednesday and wore regular warm-up jerseys during the optional morning skate ahead of the finale of a three-game homestand against the Devils at UBS Arena.
The Islanders are hoping that means both players, along with defenseman Ryan Pulock, could be part of the three-game California trip that begins Monday night in San Jose. Pulock also stayed in a non-contact jersey Saturday.
Barzal has been out since the opening of training camp with a left knee issue, while Maccelli was expected to miss 2-4 weeks after getting hurt on Oct. 17.
Pulock was put on the same timeline after his injury on Oct. 29.
All three were scheduled for further medical evaluation Saturday to help determine whether they’ll travel.
“It’s all medical doctors,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “If they have a chance to play, that’s part of it.
The other part is we have some practice time on the road, real practice time. Are they better even if they can’t play, practicing with us as a group or staying back here on their own?”
DeBoer wasn’t ready to say exactly where Barzal and Maccelli would fit once they’re cleared, or whether Barzal would line up at center or wing. But the broader picture is obvious: both are headed back into a top six that needs a spark.
Maccelli had been skating with top-line center Bo Horvat when he got hurt. Both players are also likely to land on one of the Islanders’ two power-play units, which entered Saturday’s game mired in a 1-for-18 slump over the previous five contests.
The speed element is the part that jumps off the page. Schaefer made that clear when asked how the two forwards could help him.
“I love to play fast, I love when I can skate up the ice with guys that are super fast,” Schaefer said when Newsday asked how Barzal and Maccelli’s presence in the lineup will help him. “Using our chemistry together. When you can play at a high pace and keep it going, using your hockey IQ and speed, it’s always fun.”
There’s no magic fix here, and nobody inside the room is pretending otherwise. But Barzal and Maccelli bring exactly the kind of pace and playmaking the Islanders have been missing, and that should force opposing defenders to back up.
Barzal’s track record makes that easy to see. He led the Islanders with 72 points last season, finishing with 19 goals and 53 assists in 81 games while dealing with the left knee problem that eventually shut him down.
He first took a shot off his kneecap on Feb. 1, 2025 and missed the rest of the season after surgery. He then failed to pass his Day 1 physical for training camp because of inflammation.
Maccelli, meanwhile, produced two goals and four assists in his first eight games with the Islanders.
“We miss those guys and we’re happy to see them back for sure,” Emil Heineman said after taking a turn skating with Horvat on Saturday. “For sure, it’s a lot of skill that’s coming in. Whatever it is they bring, it’s a lot of offensive skills so it means a lot.”
Schaefer has been part of the offense himself, entering Saturday with four goals and 11 assists through the first 15 games. But even with that production, his expression made the bigger point.
Barzal and Maccelli don’t just add talent. They change the way the Islanders can move.
And for a player like Schaefer, that’s the kind of change you can’t help but smile about.
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For a fan base that wants a team worth investing in, the current mood feels familiar in the wrong way. The Islanders do have pieces that can still matter, including Matthew Schaefer and Ilya Sorokin, but promising talent alone does not always fill the seats if the larger picture is hazy. Until the organization gives the market a clearer sense of direction, the attendance dip looks like more than a temporary lull. [Read more 🡒]
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Ilya Sorokin gave the Islanders just about everything they could ask for, and it still wasnt enough. New Jersey kept coming all night, but New York had built a 4-2 lead on goals from Anthony Duclair, Victor Eklund, Simon Holmstrom and Matthew Schaefer before the Devils clawed back to force overtime in a game that felt like it was slipping away in real time.
The ending only added to the frustration for an Islanders team that needed a clean finish after letting the lead get away. Sorokin was under siege for most of the night, and the overtime sequence left plenty to chew on after New Jersey turned the game with a breakaway chance that decided it in the extra period. [Read more 🡒]