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New York Islanders

The Morning After: Revisiting the Trio of Prospects

Published

2 weeks ago

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Matthew Schaefer

The New York Islanders are on the clock. For the first time since 2022, there’s a controversy over who will go first overall. In 2022, the debate mainly consisted of what forward the Montreal Canadiens would select.

They ultimately selected Juraj Slafkovsky over Logan Cooley and Shane Wright, while not truly considering Simon Nemec, who went second.

The Islanders have three options. Mathew Schaefer, Michael Misa, and James Hagens. Entering this season, James Hagens was the clear-cut #1 overall pick. Mathew Schaefer hadn’t even entered the discussion, while Misa sat where Hagens currently does- on the best of the rest pile.

Now, after an extremely strong draft year, Misa leapfrogged Hagens as the top-ranked forward. Meanwhile, Schaefer played a limited sample size, but impressed so strongly that people consider him the #1 prospect. Hagens, meanwhile, had a strong year playing stiffer competition in the NCAA, and he’s fallen behind the two Canadians.

Option #1: Matthew Schaefer

Schaefer is the top dog on most draft boards, and TSN and The Athletic have the Islanders selecting first in their mock drafts.

The 6’2″, 183-pound left-shot defenseman is a native of Ontario. In his draft year, he played just 17 games for the Erie Otters (OHL) in 2024-25. He missed the start of the year due to a bout with mono, then missed the rest of the season after breaking his collarbone at the World Junior Championship.

It’s worth noting, he’s one of the youngest players in this entire draft. He’s 17 until September 5, and had he been born a couple of weeks later, he’d be in the 2026 NHL Draft instead of here. The maturity he’s shown is a massive reason for his ascent to the top of the class.

He posted five goals and 22 points in those games, showcasing his offensive upside behind his elite skating and all-around positional prowess. He sparkled at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, another international event that raised his profile.

TSN’s Craig Button describes him like this: “He’s like a Drew Doughty. Matthew Schaefer controls the game, everywhere on the ice in all situations. A number one defenseman is what he is.”

Here’s an excerpt from The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler on his skating: “But it’s his brilliant, frankly incredible skating (he’s the best-skating D in the class) that really elevates his projection as a potential No. 1 D and two-way transition monster. He’s got great posture and glide and is a balanced and flowing skater with light edges and great posture on his heels, skating backwards as well as his toes going forward. He’s mobile in all four directions. But his ability to fly north-south, transport pucks down ice, track back when he’s carried end-to-end, go back and get pucks, and catch guys defensively is elite.”

If the Islanders take Schaefer, he’d immediately be the franchise’s most highly-touted defensive prospect in some time, even higher than that of Noah Dobson’s stock from 2018.

Option #2: Michael Misa

Another big riser, Misa played wing in the 2023-24 season, but returned to his natural center this year. For the Saginaw Spirit, that decision worked out big time.

One of nine players granted exceptional status in the CHL, he posted 62 goals and 134 points over 65 games while serving as captain.

Misa’s league-leading 134 points are the most by an OHL skater since 2006-07. Patrick Kane posted 145 points in 58 games. Back in 2008-09, the last time the Islanders picked first, John Tavares also put up 134 points that season, in two more games than Misa.

Once again, we’ll use Wheeler’s breakdown: “Misa is a beautiful skater with some quiet explosiveness and a real knack for weaving, cutting, turning and spinning in control of the puck to either shake defenders under pressure in the offensive or defensive zone or slip past them in transition with his speed and agility. He’s also a very smart player who makes his linemates better with his playmaking, vision, and ability to execute while tightly covered.”

Here’s another really good breakdown of Misa’s skills.

Misa’s exceptional talent and jaw-dropping totals this past season are the catalysts for his rise to the top of the board. Wheeler put him and Schaefer in their own tier, with James Hagens leading off the next tier of talent.

Options #3: James Hagens

The Hauppauge native checks in here. The best way of looking at Hagens is through his all-around prowess as a player. So, first, why did he go from a consensus #1 down to a likely third, or lower, position?

Wheeler wrote, “I’m still very high on Hagens but some scouts wanted to see him score more and get to the net more than he did in college (there were a couple of games against bigger, older, heavier college teams where it hasn’t come as easily as it has against his peers).”

There’s also the insane season Misa had, while Schaefer’s elite samples prove too good to resist. Misa’s offensive talent became the biggest reason for Hagens’ drop.

Hagens, like Misa, possesses excellent skating and high-end offensive skill at his peak. His potential has been described as that of Nico Hischier’s two-way game, while some paint him closer to a Logan Cooley-type player.

Hagens’ X-factor with the Islanders is the local ties. He grew up a diehard fan, living and breathing with the franchise. Yes, Misa seems to have the more dynamic skill, while Schaefer’s high-end potential drops him at the top of every board.

The heart that Hagens would bring to Long Island would be unmatchable. Anyone who grew up on Long Island knows the special place it holds in their hearts. Imagine that from a local talent playing for his boyhood team. One would think it’d raise his game and ceiling.

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