The New York Islanders opened training camp in preparation for the 2025-2026 NHL season on Thursday. The team is looking to improve upon what was a subpar season last year. The Islanders finished sixth in the Metropolitan Division, missing the playoffs for the second time in the last four years. The other two years, they were one-and-done in the postseason.

The team's struggles prompted the franchise to draft Matthew Schaefer with the first overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft .

It may have only been one day on the ice with his new teammates, but Schaefer is already leaving a strong impression , per NHL.com.

“The work that Schaefer puts in, the dedication that he has to the game, and the way that he conducts himself every single day, he's a pro in and out,” Casey Cizikas said. “He h

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