nypost
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Matthew Schaefer's average ice time has risen by more than 90 seconds per game compared to last season, and the 19-year-old now ranks fourth in the league with a striking 26:13 per night. This uptick comes even though Islanders coach Pete DeBoer has publicly emphasized the need to monitor Schaefer's workload.
Neither Schaefer nor the Islanders view the increased minutes as a problem, though their reasons differ. Schaefer simply enjoys being on the ice, believes his body is holding up well, and would never request less playing time. For the Islanders, DeBoer pointed to how those minutes are distributed—specifically, removing Schaefer from the penalty kill this season—as the team's method of managing him, rather than focusing on the total number.
"I think 26 minutes isn't necessarily all the same type of minutes," DeBoer said after the Islanders practiced at Bridgestone Arena on Monday. "If you're defending all night, if you're killing penalties, those are different minutes [than] power play and offensive situations, things like that."
Throughout Schaefer's first year and change in the NHL, there has been little indication that his workload has significantly impacted his day-to-day performance. He has yet to endure an extended slump in the NHL and does not tend to fade late in games, even when the Islanders rely on him heavily.
To the extent there is concern, it is less about the present and more about the long-term wear and tear Schaefer could accumulate as a teenager. "Obviously sometimes [DeBoer] will check in and be like, make sure you're resting the body, taking the option you need and things like that," Schaefer told The Post. "At the end of the day, I think he knows I love to be out there. I'm still young, so try to burn some energy out there. It's fun."
Key Analysis
The Islanders' approach to Schaefer's workload highlights a nuanced understanding of player management: it's not just about the number of minutes, but the context in which they are played. By removing Schaefer from penalty-killing duties, DeBoer is limiting the defenseman's exposure to high-stress, defensive-zone situations, which can be more physically taxing. This strategy allows Schaefer to maintain a high total ice time while potentially reducing the risk of fatigue and injury. As Schaefer continues to develop, the team's ability to balance his ice time with his long-term health will be crucial, especially given his age and the physical demands of the NHL.
In related roster moves, the Islanders placed Matias Maccelli (lower body) and Calum Ritchie (lower body) on injured reserve, freeing two roster spots. They used those spots to call up Kashawn Aitcheson and Pierre Engvall as paper transactions. Neither Aitcheson nor Engvall is expected to play or join the team; the moves are designed to bring the Islanders closer to the salary cap ceiling and maximize their long-term injury pool if and when Alexander Romanov is placed on LTIR. Paper transactions in the opposite direction—sending a player down on paper to accrue cap space—have been legislated out of the NHL, but call-ups for this purpose remain permitted. Placing Maccelli and Ritchie on IR does not affect their recovery timelines, as both have already missed the required seven days. Maccelli is expected to begin skating on his own on Tuesday.
Originally reported by nypost.