What happened: Matthew Schaefer heads into his second NHL season with the New York Islanders as training camp approaches. He won rookie of the year honors last season after setting the league's points record for an 18-year-old defenseman.

Why it matters: The Islanders enter the 2026-27 season leaning on the same Schaefer who set the NHL's 18-year-old defenseman scoring record as a rookie. He turned 19 on Sept. 7.

What to watch: The Islanders open training camp later this month, with the 2026-27 season opening Sept. 29.