What may determine if Islanders Matthew Schaefer…
Matthew Schaefer’s probabilities of making Team Canada may come down to a simple matter of religion.
Team Canada coach Jon Cooper, in city to coach the Lightning against the Islanders on Tuesday, said that as it relates to Canada’s trio of younger stars gunning to make the Olympic squad — Schaefer, Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini — the most important query is one they merely can not reply: How they are going to deal with the bounce in velocity and depth that was on show at last yr’s 4 Nations Face-Off and will likely be in play at the Milan Games.
“There’s so many things that go into it. You can use the 4 Nations as a gauge,” Cooper said. “What you do at the NHL level doesn’t necessarily translate to what happens at that level. I never thought I’d be watching hockey that happens faster than an NHL game. And that was exponentially faster. You gotta know, can players take that next step?”
Matthew Schaeffer skates up ice during the Islanders’ 2-1 home win over the Lightning on Dec. 2, 2025. Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Of course, there’s no reply for that. Schaefer, Celebrini and Bedard have never performed in the playoffs — no fault of their own — and that is the closest comparability to the extent that will likely be on show in Milan.
With eight defensemen probably to be named to the 26-man Olympic roster, Schaefer ought to have a cheap shot at making it, but he wants to persuade Team Canada’s management group — which has ceaselessly attended Islanders video games, with both Bruins GM Don Sweeney and Lightning GM Julien BriseBois at UBS Tuesday — that he can deal with that bounce.
Cooper shouldn’t be evaluating for Team Canada during video games he’s actively teaching, but admitted that he can be paying a little additional consideration to Schaefer, who he had not yet seen live at the NHL degree.
“I saw Schaefer play in Edmonton at an under-17 deal when he was playing against his own age group. He was really, really good,” Cooper said. “Now you want to see how he’s gonna play against men.”
It’s price noting that the choice shouldn’t be primarily Cooper’s to make, but a group of managers that consists of Doug Armstrong and Kyle Dubas in addition to BriseBois and Sweeney.
“It’s a pretty damn good tribute to them that in December we’re talking about them. That’s pretty impressive,” said Cooper.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau rejoined the Islanders for Tuesday morning’s skate for the first time since struggling an upper-body injury 10 days in the past, carrying an orange non-contact jersey.
“Progressing,” Pageau said before the Islanders defeated Tampa, 2-1. “Feel better every day. Hopefully I’ll be back sooner than later.”
General supervisor Mathieu Darche had beforehand said Pageau’s timeline would probably be 2-3 weeks and that he was anticipated back in the lineup by Christmas; the two-week mark on his injury will likely be Saturday’s recreation at Tampa’s recreation at Tampa.
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