The Sheet with Jeff Marek - On the Sheet: Stefen Rosner on Matthew Schaefer's Impact, Mathieu Darche's Deadline, and more

Episode Date: March 18, 2026

Stefen Rosner joins the show to discuss the New York Islanders’ approach at the trade deadline, where they sit in the Metropolitan Division, and what it all means for their playoff hopes. Plus, a closer look at top prospect Matthew Schaefer and his first game against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Toronto. Don’t forget to subscribe for more daily NHL analysis and insight from The Sheet.Leave a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/TheSheetEmail us: [e-mail] TO OUR SPONSORS!!👍🏼 Fan Duel: https://www.fanduel.com/👍🏼Uber Eats: https://www.ubereats.com/caReach out to [e-mail] to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us!If you liked this, check out:🚨 OTT - Coming in Hot Sens | https://www.youtube.com/c/thewallyandmethotshow🚨 TOR - LeafsNation | https://www.youtube.com/@theleafsnation401🚨 EDM - OilersNation | https://www.youtube.com/@Oilersnationdotcom🚨 VAN - CanucksArmy | https://www.youtube.com/@Canucks_Army🚨 CGY - FlamesNation | https://www.youtube.com/@FNBarnBurner🚨 Daily Faceoff Fantasy & Betting | www.youtube.com/@DFOFantasyandBetting____________________________________________________________________________________________Connect with us on ⬇️Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/daily_faceoff💻 Website: https://www.dailyfaceoff.com🐦 Follow on twitter: https://x.com/DailyFaceoff💻 Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dailyfaceoffDaily Faceoff Merch:https://nationgear.ca/collections/daily-faceoffReach out to [e-mail] to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You can read them in a number of places. I recommend subscribing to the Almoncers. You can also read them at NHL.com covering the New York Islanders, always looking fresh-faced and dapper with a white-collared shirt. Holy smokes, I should clean up the act here with this. A Red Deer Rebels T-shirt from the Western Hockey League. Here he is, ladies and gentlemen, without a net, the great Steph Roster. How are you doing, Seth? How are you doing, Seth?

How are you doing, Seth? How are you doing, Jeff? I'm doing great. Zach, I'll pay your bail. So whatever it is, just let me know what it is, right? Doesn't not look like he's in prison? I know him and his girlfriend just moved, and so he's just got to decorate the place, but holy smokes, incarcerated Zach. Okay, so homecoming time. Always curious when a player comes back to his hometown, in this case, Matthew Schaefer,

who grew up a little bit west of the city of Toronto, back in Toronto. The Islanders face off against the Toronto Maple Leafs. We always refer to it as playing for free, which means you've had to buy so many tickets that you're not making a dollar that day. Do you have any idea how many tickets that Schaefer's had to cobble together here? So I asked Schaefer that question yesterday, and he said it's close to a thousand. Now, is it actually close to a thousand? That's a lot of people.

I don't know a thousand people. I'm sure Schaefer has a ton of supporters there. But yeah, they have a box for close family and friends. But then he said that there's a lot of people hitting up his dad to just buy tickets and get there. So maybe it's not a thousand, but it's going to be a lot of people at this place. And I mean, well deserved. Obviously, we've seen the support from other teams around the league for Schaefer.

We've seen Maple Leafs fans supporting him as well. So yes, I think Maple Leafs fans would love the Leafs to win, but I think a lot of them are rooting to see what Matthew Schaefer can do. I'm not so sure that a lot of Maple Leaf fans want to see the team win at this point. I'm not sure if you're familiar with what's happened to this team this year. It's always – You're dropping the money on the tickets. At the end of the day, people can talk their talk.

But like, if you're going here, a Leaf fan, you're paying money. You want to see Shafer do well, but you also probably want to see the Leafs win. For sure. Well, we'll see. I mean, this one gets underway early. of the seven o'clockers tonight. So we'll see what happens. Either way, we're going to get an indication

early on this one. Always curious when he hits the ice and what the reaction is. So how has he talked about this game? I mean, thankfully for him, it comes a little bit later on in the season towards the end. But how is in your conversations with him, how is Matthew Schaefer, who's full stop going to win the Calder Trophy this year? Like, how is the how is the conversation about this game been with Matthew Schaefer?

Yeah, he's always so even killed. When he started his career, he played against Crosby, and I know Vetchkin, then McDavid, and he said, it's just the game, it's just the game. This one's a little different. You could sense the excitement and the anticipation of what it means to him to be back home. We all know about what he went through and the support he's had around the league and from coaches and family members, all that stuff.

So for him, you could tell this one, this one's different. This one's going to be extra special. And he just probably wants to make everybody proud. And that's where he's at always is making him and his family proud, his friend's proud, and everyone that helped him out proud. You know, it's very rare that one player, especially a young player like this, although you can make the argument with Alexander Rovetchen and Sidney Crosby specifically, who can completely turn around the vibe.

Like completely turn around the vibe of an NHL team. It's certainly hard to do. Macklin Celebrini with the San Jose Sharks. There's a new sort of enthusiasm with the San Jose Sharks now around Macklin Celebrini. But, I mean, listen, you cover this team day in, day out, hour in, hour out. are you surprised at how quickly he's helped? Because it's not just him, but man, it's a big part. How quickly he's been able to turn the vibe around about the Islanders.

Like more people are watching the Islanders this year, and they're on ramp to the Islanders is this kid. Yeah, I'm not surprised. Nothing fazes me in terms of what he's able to do. The fact that he's transcended this organization, but he talked about vibes, and that's been a huge thing for Patrick Waugh. He went home this summer after the Islanders missed the playoffs last year

and said, you know, I want to figure out a different way to kind of, go at this and knowing that he had Schaefer coming in and knowing how important it was to keep things lively and fun and youthful. He came in preaching compassion, preaching fun, preaching swagger. And that's all Schaefer is. He talked to a lot of players in that room and Schaefer is a leader. Forget being 18.

He's a leader, but also he keeps the room light. He comes in with the sense of everything is brand new to him. He's just playing hockey. And for a lot of these guys, these veterans where, you know, it's bitter grind. You talk to Barzal and he goes, you know, his, you know, Schaefer smiling is never in a bad mood. like that's contagious. The whole room feels it. So, yeah, I think the vibe mentality is so, yeah, the swagger.

Schaefer just nothing faces him. He's enjoying life every minute of every second. He's in that rink and all of his teammates feel and all the fans do as well. The owners weren't expect to do anything this year. A lot of fans thought, okay, if Schaefer's fun to watch and he develops, like they miss the playoffs and missed the playoffs as long as you get to see Schaefer. But now it's like this team can make the playoff. Schaefer is going to win rookie a year.

He might get some hard votes. I mean, Seroon's been good, but the vibes have been great. completely changed. It helps going from Lou and how quiet he was and a secret of he was. And now Darch comes in and opens it up to fans. But opening up to fans and then the fans getting to see Schaefer first hand and watch him grow, that's been amazing. So the vibes are as high as possible. Every practice is laughs and jokes. And yeah, they take it seriously when they have to put in the work. But yeah, you can't go one day without Schaefer cracking a joke in the room or chirping one of his teammates while waiting to talk with him.

One more Schaefer question. They don't want to talk more about the Islanders here. but any sort of sense of, and I'm asking for a specific number or decimal point here, how much he's meant to the bottom line for the New York Islanders this year, whether it's ticket sales, jersey sales,

I mean, listen, the brand value, all of that. That all goes in because I'll frame it this one very specific way. I think that Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby, these are the two, I'll use as examples,

are the two most underpaid players in the history of the game. When you look at, first of all, there's the CBA triple salary cap, given that there's only a max you can pay them. When you look at the tickets and the jerseys and the brand value and all of it,

that I don't know in the history of hockey that there are more players, and again, this is a CBA, so there's only so much you can do, who left more money on the table, who had to leave more money on the table. I don't know any two players who did that more so than Ovechkin and Crosby. How much does this guy leave it on the table? Because this guy means a lot to the bottom line of the Islanders already. Yeah, so we talked with a team president, Kelly Cheesman, who came over from the LA area, and he said that they had to search so far to find more 48s to put on jerseys.

I mean, they're selling at these jerseys left and right. The owners have sold out their last 13 home games. They're going to sell up the rest of their home games, and it's the Shephyr effect. Yeah, so yeah, and there's money on the table frame for sure. I mean, he's spending all this money to have all this family and friends in the entire city coming to this game tonight. But yeah, no, he's meant everything from business standpoint, which, you know, is important. You do need someone to draw fans, especially younger fans in, especially after a year when you missed the playoffs.

So, yeah, they've run out of number 48s. They've had to get more. His jersey is the number one product, and people are coming just to see him play. Okay, so here's the question. What is the second best story with the Islanders? Second best story, I would have to say, would be, I think, Serocon, coming off last year, what, you know, what he went through. He wasn't great last year. And then the defense as a whole, we could talk about Schaefer for heart, but

Sorokin's been that guy. He's that Vesna caliber guy will he win it. I know there's a debate between him and Vasselapski, but when you pay a goalie as much as you pay him, I know 8.25 doesn't seem like a lot for goalies anymore, but when they paid him that, it's a high price. You expect him to be that guy every night bailing you out. And I know maybe that's unfair, especially when you're behind this Islander's defense at times, but he's lived up to what you're paying him for.

And he's been great, obviously without Varlamov. It's been his show, Riddick's been in and out as well. Like, this is the only Sorokin's team. If he's going well, the team has a chance to win every single night. The other story, too, is Tony DiAngelo has been a fantastic story. This is a guy that comes over from the KHL after, you know, who's in the pro-rated deal, gets an extension. And, you know, he's got some flaws in his game to foot alongside Adam Peleck.

Adam Teillot looks like the shutdown guy that used to be up along the Jacobs-Slavans of the world. Like, he's been so dynamic. And a large part of it has been Tony DeAngel by his side. So, you know, Schaefer's been a great story. Sorokin's been a great story. but you got to give credit to Tony Vianjo because he's been fantastic for this team. The Braden Shend trade.

I want to ask you about that, but do you think that there were other deals that were close to the finish line, but they just couldn't get them there? I'm curious, like, from your experience around deadline with the Islanders, were there some other things that Darsh was trying to do that just couldn't make happen? Yeah, I'm heard of saying 100%.

I think Darch was, when you have the two first round picks that you had before the deal, the prospect pool that you do have and the cap space. You, in theory, aren't couldn't be involved with everybody. And Darge made it clear to us that, you know, there were a lot of things that didn't get done. And I think that was fair to say for a lot of teams around the NHL. So I think, yeah, you know, was it Garland where there, for sure were talks about Garland, was there talks maybe about Tippett on Philly or other teams. Like I think, I think Darts was involved. We know St. Louis. But I think Darts was involved in a ton of conversation. And I think the goal was to get that top six score. They ultimately don't

get that. You know, that was a seller's market. Getting that guy was going to be really, really tough. But yeah, I think the Islanders were involved in a lot of deals that didn't come to fruition like other teams,

but I think Darch was comfortable at least getting a guy like Shen and, you know, to beat the return, whatever the package they had to send back. But he wants to make the playoffs. And he wants to give the owners the best chance when I do make the playoffs to go and run.

You look at a lot, you look at Sousie, stabilizers, Shen, a veteran leader who's won a cup. Like, that's where Darch valued is, hey,

how can he help relieve some pressure off of Calum Richie, be that, that center guy and go forward and make the playoffs and go on a run. So the one thing that I was told around deadline with Darsh was, there were a lot of teams, to your point, engaged in talking to the Islanders, but a big no-fly zone was Kashan Acheson, defenseman with the Barry Colts. And I think we're all, anyone that knows Kashan Acheson looking at this player and saying,

oh man, you have a chance at having Schaefer and Acheson, who hits like a freight train. They are going to love him. They are going to love Islanders fans are going to adore Kashan Acheson. That is probably that, as I mentioned, no fly zone for Matthew Darch. Is that accurate?

100%. Victor Ecclin was another guy that was a no touch that they picked before H.S. And I don't know about Coalism exactly how untouchable he is. But Darch doesn't really, didn't really want to move anybody

that could potentially turn pro next year. He values those guys. can go make the team better using the first round picks. Some other prospects like attaching Gidloff, their second best goaltane prospect to Gams and who's been unreal in the KHL. Like that was his plan. Now, again, if Robert Thomas was truly available

or someone, you know, Chuck, for example, throwing names all like that. Are one of those guys that Clinton, Atkinson potentially move? Sure, but not for the guys I think that Darch was thought were possible reality options at this deadline. But yeah, for sure, I know that teams wanted H-SEN. and the same bluest blues love Acheson's game. They love Danny Nelson's game as well.

We'll see if he turns pro over the next week or so. But yeah, there was no touchy for Eclin and Acheson. That was what I'm glad you mentioned Danny Nelson. That was one of the names that's like, okay, if this is going to happen, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, and Danny Nelson. It was almost like Danny Nelson needed to change his first name to and. Because of how many times I heard and Danny Nelson. Did you hear same? Yeah, yeah, Danny Nelson.

I know the blues for sure were someone that were. really high. And Danny Ellison, listen, is he going to be a top six center? No, but he's one of those third-line, fourth-line centers that you 100% need to win a cup. However, with Danny Nelson playing at Notre Dame, his older brother is there right now and his younger brother committed. So I think that's the issue right now with the out-owners. They love to sign him, but if he wants to go play with his two brothers, you know, that's hard to say no to you, right, if you're Danny Nelson. But yeah, he was a player that a lot of teams definitely wanted for sure. Okay, one last question for you. It's a busy day for you. Um, why Braden Schen?

Why Braden Shen? Yeah. So we know for a fact that they wanted to, I know as much as the islanders have center-wise, center depth, dark's made it clear that I think he wanted to take the pressure off of Calimbrich. Now, Calim Ritchie's in his, Rick here, he's making his home and home debut tonight as well. He's from Oakville. But he was struggling playing as the number two center. I think the Islanders knew that Matthew Barzal fits best with Beauoribet, and they don't want to put him back at center.

And Rixie was struggling with the defensive responsibility as being. in number two C. So I think Darch's goal here, and this is what he said, was he wanted to alleviate some pressure off of Ritchie, get a guy in here who's really good in the faceoff dot, who's won a cop, has that veteran leadership and mentality. So that's why I think the Islanders ultimately settled with, I'd settle as maybe a harsh word, but they weren't and got Braden Chen because given the assets that it would take to get him. And also, too, you have to remember, the Islanders did get to move Jonathan Drew and the deal. So I'm sure that help, but the Blues are willing to take down, obviously picks were involved. But I think Darch, look at the Palatio, same.

thing. Proven winner, someone performs in the playoffs and someone who brings that veteran leadership. Yes, the Islanders have a ton of that, but I think it was for the Blues and the Islanders, obviously, we're talking about a lot of things. Shen wins his face off. Shen takes the pressure off, and the Islanders thought, we get another center to take that pressure off.

We have a better chance of making the playoffs, and then in the playoffs, having guys that have been there and done that, obviously gives them a much better chance. Okay, last one, I promise. How has Patrick Waugh been, both for players and for media? Yeah. Fantastic.

He's very honest, which we appreciate. Oh, yeah. He breaks things down. And, you know, he's firing. I think he was firing be his first year with the Islanders. And then he kind of cooled down. He's kind of changing his mojo completely. But he's relishing the opportunity to coach this team.

He loves this group. He loves Matthew Schaefer. He loves him in Dart, I think, have worked really well together, which plays a part. And I'm sure him not lashing out in the media and things like that. But no, I think Patrick Rob really went home this summer and matured as a coach. You know, he wanted to. to be that fiery guy, but then you looked at a lot of areas and said, I got a lot of young guys

coming in here. I got a group that wants to feel rejuvenated. We got to have fun. Again, it's so cliche, but the Islanders, you seem the way they play. It's fun hockey. It's no longer the boring one-nothing, two-hundred-thing wins. Like, it's ironic, but Patrick Waza, Paul of Angoli wants to win the 5-4-4-3 games. Lou wanted to win two-one, one-nothing games. But yeah, I think Wodd really understood, hey, this is how we have to play to win. We have the talent to play that fast style of hockey and break out with ease and have the goaltending. Let's have fun with it, because we want to put the show on for the crowd and they've done that. You know, it's going to be an exciting night tonight as Matthew Schaefer plays in front of his hometown crowd.

And I think one of the reasons why people just love the story is it's kind of like if you believe in hockey karma. Like the Islanders got good luck because they didn't throw this season and they still got the first overall pick. Like, does that resonate with Islanders fans? Oh, they all, I mean, everything Islander fans say is if the Rangers had just loved the Alleners win once last year, then Schaefer is a Ranger. So they're blaming the Rangers for why they got Schaefer. So no one's complaining too much. But the math works out that it would have been the Rangers with the first pick if the Rangers had lost just once to them last year.

Sliding door moment, was it Rangers? You know what it was. It was that Columbus game. That was the one. That's the sliding door moment for the Islanders. That's the one. That was a tough one. But Schaefer, I mean, again, too, just going back to Schaefer,

it closes out here. He talks so well about the organization. way they've treated him from day one. His dad talks about how he wanted to make sure he would be safe and be happy. And Matt Martin's family and Matt Martin took him in. He joined a perfect situation where there was an opening on the defense. He's moved up the depth charts. But it could have been a more perfect situation for Schaefer and the Islanders.

Who knew? A great news story for a young kid in the NHL. It's been fantastic. Looking forward to tonight. Steph continued success. We'll check back regularly. Thanks so much. Have a good one.