New York Islanders prospect camp stuns with breakout performances. Is a new era of Islanders hockey on the horizon?
Host Gil Martin breaks down the blue/white scrimmage highlights, featuring Matthew Schaefer’s triumphant debut and Quinn Finley’s impressive showing. The discussion covers the Isles’ savvy signing of KHL sniper Maxim Shabanov, beating out division rivals Rangers and Flyers. Martin analyzes GM Matthew Darche’s long-term strategy, recent roster moves, and the potential for future free agent acquisitions.
Don’t miss this in-depth look at the Islanders’ path to success, from prospect development to management’s vision for a competitive future.
All this and more on today’s Locked On Islanders Podcast with Gil Martin.
Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!
GametimeToday’s episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNHL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply.
Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNHL at monarchmoney.com/lockedonnhl for 50% off your first year.
FanDuelToday’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now, new FanDuel customers can get $150 in Bonus Bets if your first $5 bet wins!
FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)
Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOIslanders?sid=YouTube
Locked On NHL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Prospects & More
🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNHL
And follow the show and Gil Martin on Twitter where he’ll share the latest news on your New York Islanders and will talk with fans like you.
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/LockedOnIsles
and https://twitter.com/icewarsnyrvsnyi
#Islanders #NYIslanders #NHL
35 Comments
The Island needed a good busy off-season and they got it this year – a talent upgrade, some depth, some decent draft picks, and new culture change from the minor league system up. If Pat Roy can do what he did keeping that injury riddled team to near .500 last season, just think what he will do when given a solid roster which is healthy. Darche is cookin'!!!
Shabanov is high reward and low risk with 1 yr contract and AAV of under 1MM makes us potentially younger and faster and more skilled. It's hard to predict how KHL prospects will do in NHL. Traditionally the success rates is under 50% KHL game is all about leveraging large ice surface to find seams and gaps and play east west game and you don't have defenseman stepping up and being aggressive. NHL smaller ice surface, less space, more aggressive D. NHL D would rather face a speedy skilled F who wants to play east west game on the perimeter. Always them to step up. Shabanov is also 5'8. You take cole Canfield and he is the role model for how smaller F can have sustained success. He likes to leverage his top straight line speed, skating and edge work with a North -South game. D less inclined to step up and be super aggressive for fear he will undress them. Some scouts question whether his game will translate in the NHL and other scouts say he now has more of a North – South so it's hard to project how he will do. We can maxim T as a benchmark he has a floor of 35pts and a ceiling of 45pts. Scouts say shabanov skills are much better than maxim. So I say floor 35 and ceiling 60. Huge range because of his size and questions as to style of his game
I hope they don't trade JG or Lee before the deadline so we get the max return for them.
Good morning team! Gil, is it too early to say, it's a great time to be an Islander fan? Everything around the team feels very refreshing right now. The days of wondering what Lou is thinking are over, and it's time to turn that page. Within a very short time of Darche's era, Lou's way of doing things is in the very far view of the rear view mirror. Schaefer is going to be an animal, along with the rest of the team. I'm now ready for what's next. Exciting times indeed. I totally agree with you on everything you reported. Excellent episode as always. Everyone, have a wonderful day! See you all again tomorrow. Until then.. Let's Go Islanders!!
Really like your podcast Gill
Wow wake me…all these moves and Shabanov looks like he can win some shootouts. They have lost so many and he’s 24!
Love what Darche has done so far. Shabanov looks like a blooming young star. Lots of promise for the future. LGI
Good 🌄, Gil. How are you? The Islanders finished up the prospect 🏕 with the blue and white scrimmage. So far, they haven't disappointed. Matthew Schaffer looked good. Quinn Finley showed some speed. Everybody looked 👍 on both sides. It's also good to 👀 the fan enthusiasm come back. I read somewhere that Cole Eiserman is staying at Boston University. I think it's a good move. Matheiu Darche is still making moves. This ⏲️, he signed KHL sniper, Maxim S. He's only 5'8 and 165 lbs, but that shouldn't matter. The Islanders signed Matthew Hymore to a one year deal for $775,000. The Islanders beat out the Rangers and the Flyers for Maxim S. Darche signed Emil Heiniman. Every move he makes is part of the bigger 📸. I like how he's putting it the Islanders together, and not signing the big 🐟. Matheiu Darche is right. Unless something suddenly came up to quote the Brady Bunch, DON'T RUSH THE KIDS. HAPPY 🎂 DAVE LEWIS. Drafted in 1973, he was there during the Cinderella run, and then he went Hollywood. I hope there were no hard feelings all these years later. He scored 3 assists in a win over the then ATL Flames. Hear from you later, Gil. I've got to find a nostalgia game to ⌚️. Now, LET'S GO, ISLANDERS.
Gil, I've been listening to you for a long time. STOP ALL CAPSING WORDS IN YOUR PODCAST DESCRIPTION. ITS CALLED YELLING AND ITS ANNOYING. PLEASE STOP. PLEASE
For Shabanov, the KHL already has NHL size rinks, though now every KHL rink is smaller than international size, which I feel is a mistake because players keep getting bigger & faster
Gil – I've heard Elliotte Friedman say that teams will be reluctant to give up 1st round picks for the 2026 draft because of McKenna and the depth of the draft. The Isles have theirs and COL. My question is: do you keep Pageau over the summer just in the hope that some team is going to get crazy after 55 days or do you take a package now to free up a spot for Ritchie. Right now there are too many forwards on this roster. I'm curious to say the least.
Eklund looked tenacious. Hope he has a great year in Sweden and bulks up as it fits his body type that doesn't slow his foot speed.
Lou is the worst gm of all time. If Lou remained my 45 year Fandom was over and done. LOUser good riddance
Darche is light years better than LOUser
Hey Gil. Mathew Schaeffer cannot play in college once he signed his entry level contract. That contract made him a professional and thus barred from playing college hockey.
A team building year is a much more exciting way to end up back in the middle this year. I got tbh Gil, when Darche said I believe in the core I thought oh boy here we go again. Then he resigns Palms and it didn’t feel any different until the moves made after draft day when you could see his vision better. I’m really starting to like Darche. He’s trying, he communicates, and is making low risk moves for most part. You can’t ask for more than that.
The Florida Panthers are my favorite team the Islanders are my second favorite team.
I just want to say that the early stages of the Islanders new regime here does remind me of the early stages of the Panthers.
TGI
If we're lucky, we'll be able to move engvall, duclair, and Pageau. Pageau would be the only one to bring back a substantial return. Duclair and Engvall would be strictly moves to pare salary from the cap. Could the Bruins come calling, at the 2026 trade deadline, looking to solidify a run to the playoffs by offering Hagens in a package for Pageau? Probably not, but you never know. Bodqvist and DeAngelo are nice stop gaps until our younger D men are ready to play at the NHL level.
Good morning Gil. Dave Lewis is the answer to your Islanders trivia question. He was a good Islander. But, as they say, you have to give to get. And what many Islander fans don't remember, or don't know, is Gord Lane was just as important as the Butch Goring trade at the end of the 1979-80 season. That trade for Mike Kascyski, added grit and toughness to the Islanders roster. Gord Lane was an awesome, unsung hero, NY Islander.
If Schaefer makes the team out of training camp, is it possible to play in the NHL at 18 years old?
GM of the year!….LFGI!!!!❤
Prohkorov(sp) is making the team…im calling it now
Great addition. Now get rid of Engvall, Maclean and Duclair. San Jose needs to get over the salary floor trade them for anything you can get.
Schaeffer should go to college not big enough for the NHL. No need to rush him.
Dave Lewis was a good player he was solid and got us Goring.
Shabanov, small, highly skilled, highly sought. Like it
So i guess another cheap ufa signing from khl is gonna answer the g scoring problem for isles? fill in your 'shabanov is gonna be the next __ or compares to ______' here. Keep those mckenna hopes up. Meanwhile i am enjoy watching shark scrimmage and the no. 2 scorer sj can pencil in next season. no khl hoping there. And two immoveable parts still remain. wake me the fk up when one or both are gone. can't build a new culture with useless passengers on board. Isles could have claimed leddy off waivers as canes found eihlers to take their ufa $$$'s.
That feeling is hope
I’m 54 years old. Do you have any idea how many years of prospects, patience, wait till next year I’ve witnessed. Love the changes in philosophy and the draft FA signings etc. But if the Isles don’t win what’s it all about? Looking forward to October though.
I believe we have one of the brightest futures in the league with arguably one of the best young talent pools around. 2 to 4 yrs from now, i truly believe we are going to be an extremely competitive and great young team. Also shout out to Gil, always appreciate your content & thoughts sir, always makes my day.
Schaefer can't play in the AHL. You have to be 20
I love the fact that they had a development camp.
It gives the young players something to work on over their summer training sessions and a little motivation.
Good bonding time too. The college guys had never been to camp in September and there felt like a disconnect between American prospects and Cdn. or European prospects.
The wealth of prospects will grow by a few more solid picks next summer with 2 first rd. picks in '26 + whatever they get in return for Pageau and Lee.
Ritchie, Schaefer, Shabanov, Eklund, Eiserman, Aitcheson, George, Prokhorov, Pulkkinen, Nelson, Finley, Romano, Odelius, Gamzin, Gidlof + 2 more first rd picks plus picks from Lee and Pageau. There is a new wave coming!
In a couple years time, you could have …
Horvat with Barzal and Eiserman
Ritchie with Eklund and Prokhorov
Nelson with Shabanov and Holmstrom
Gatcomb with Finley and Heineman
Schaefer with Pulock
Romanov with DeAngelo
Aitcheson with George
Finally a real GM!!!!
Shabanov's exciting, size doesn't matter in his case, just look at Marchand, Zuccarello. Wouldn't be surprised to see Islanders make playoff next season.