&214;cal's NHL rink report: Matthew Schaefer's hot start, Tusky's debut, games of the week

Matthew Schaefer has had rather the debut successful the NHL, hasn't he? He's scored a constituent successful each crippled he's played -- including a amusive archetypal NHL goal. ESPN expert John Tortorella noted that helium reminds him of Hall of Famer Chris Pronger with his skating ... that's not atrocious astatine each for the New York Islanders' archetypal wide prime from the 2025 draft.

The debut has besides been historical. Schaefer started his NHL vocation with a five-game constituent streak (and counting). That's the 2nd longest constituent streak by immoderate defenseman from the commencement of their career, down lone Marek Zidlicky (six games) successful 2003-04. He is the archetypal 18-year-old defenseman successful NHL past to execute that (every different 18-year-old connected the database was a forward).

His archetypal NHL extremity was electric. There was a large scrum successful beforehand connected an Islanders powerfulness play, amid the chaos the puck is lost, and Schaefer barges successful from the bluish enactment and pokes the puck that was hardly disposable nether Logan Thompson's pads into the nett successful a seamless motion. Among his galore different traits, the hockey IQ is rather high.

Schaefer turned 18 connected Sept. 5; yes, conscionable implicit a period ago. He is the youngest defenseman to marque his NHL debut, to grounds a constituent successful his NHL debut, the youngest NHL subordinate connected grounds to people his archetypal extremity connected the powerfulness play, and the youngest subordinate to play 25-plus minutes successful a game.

He's besides garnering a batch of aboriginal "Isles franchise subordinate of the future" nods from the Islanders faithful. It mightiness beryllium a spot aboriginal to beryllium doling retired accolades similar that. But Matthew Schaefer is decidedly amusive to watch, and the champion is yet to come.

Jump ahead:
Games of the week
What I liked this weekend
Hart Trophy candidates
Social station of the week

Biggest games of the week

Tuesday: Florida Panthers astatine Boston Bruins

7:30 p.m. ET | ESPN

Obviously the biggest crippled of the week from a storyline position is Brad Marchand returning for his archetypal crippled successful Boston. He was injured the past clip the Panthers visited Boston, truthful each of the pomp and condition volition travel during this game.

Marchand is simply a banner- and statue-level feline successful Beantown, without question. I expect an extended ovation, past the fans booing him erstwhile helium levels David Pastrnak successful a scrum.

Tuesday: New Jersey Devils astatine Toronto Maple Leafs

7 p.m. ET | ESPN+

Two playoff teams from past season. Star powerfulness aplenty, with Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt connected 1 side, against Auston Matthews, William Nylander and John Tavares connected the other.

But there's different wrinkle to this one. Greg Wyshynski and I created a marque caller "North American Hockey Championship" title...