Matthew Schaefer said he is focused on the task at hand when he makes his NHL debut for the New York Islanders on Thursday.

One could understand if Schaefer, the top overall pick of the 2025 NHL Draft, took a moment to size up the competition. After all, the 18-year-old will face off against Sidney Crosby and the host Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday before testing his mettle versus Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals on Saturday.

"You really don't think about who you're going up against," Schaefer said before his debut. "Obviously, you've got to know what kind of style they play, like a little faster, all that stuff. But I think just going out there, putting your head down, working through it, and just working is going to be the big thing.

"I don't want to go out there and just be

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