Roughly two-and-a-half months after being selected No. 1 overall by the New York Islanders in the 2025 NHL Draft, Matthew Schaefer hit the ice for the opening of the team's rookie camp on Thursday.

It was the young defenseman's first time on the ice with the National Hockey League organization — and he's ready to prove that he belongs on the opening night roster next month.

“Obviously, take it day by day. I'm not looking ahead, still focusing on today,” the 18-year-old said after the skate, per NHL.com's Jon Lane. “Great session on the ice there. I feel so much more ready. When you're training in the summer with a lot of top-end guys like Nazem Kadri and Sean Monahan, going up against them is pretty cool. You have to be on your A-game all the time.”

After missing the 2025 Stanley

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