New York Islanders

October 11, 2025

EdgeHockey Staff

Matthew Schaefer New York Islanders

New York Islanders’ Matthew Schaefer Sets NHL Record In His Season-Opening Debut

The air in Pittsburgh was thick with the usual early-season anticipation, but for the traveling New York Islanders faithful, it was charged with something more. This wasn’t just another season opener. This was the dawn of a new era. All eyes were on the kid in the blue and orange, the No. 1 overall pick from the 2025 NHL Draft, Matthew Schaefer. The hype surrounding a top pick can often be a burden, a heavy cloak of expectation that smothers nascent talent. For Schaefer, it proved to be a launching pad. By the end of the night, despite a 4-3

October 7, 2025

EdgeHockey Staff

Carolina Hurricanes Seth Jarvis New Jersey Devils Jacob Markstrom Dougie Hamilton

Metropolitan Mayhem: A Division of NHL Contenders, Pretenders, and Pain

The air is getting colder, the skates are being sharpened, and across the National Hockey League, hope springs eternal. But in the Metropolitan Division, that hope comes in vastly different shades. Once a Murderer’s Row of perennial contenders, the Metro enters the 2025-26 season as a study in contrasts—a top-heavy battleground where a clear line has been drawn in the sand. On one side stand the division’s titans, gearing up for what they believe is a legitimate run at the Stanley Cup. On the other, a motley crew of teams in various states of transition, retooling, or outright, gut-wrenching reconstruction.

October 1, 2025

EdgeHockey Staff

Ilya Sorokin New York Islanders

New York Islanders’ 2025-26 Season: A Calculated Gamble on Health, Redemption & Youth

The winds of change have swept through Long Island. After a 2024-25 campaign that ended without a playoff berth, the New York Islanders enter the new season at a distinct crossroads. Under the fresh leadership of General Manager Mathieu Darche, the organization has made bold, franchise-altering moves, signaling a departure from the recent past. The retirements of franchise pillars Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin mark the end of an era, while the blockbuster trade of star defenseman Noah Dobson signals a new strategic direction. The consensus from the outside is one of tempered expectations; some pundits have already written the