The New York Islanders announced that they have signed No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer to his entry-level deal. 

#Isles News: The New York Islanders have signed defenseman Matthew Schaefer to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Read more: https://t.co/6hCqZ281QDpic.twitter.com/CHurk65I0k

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) August 4, 2025

Just because Schaefer signed his ELC, that doesn't mean he's going to be on the NHL roster this fall. 

The soon-to-be 18-year-old's goal is to make the Islanders out of training camp, where he'll likely be battling with Isaiah George for the final starting blue-line spot. 

However, if Schaefer doesn't make the team, he'll be sent back to the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League, where he must remain until the OHL season comes to an end before being recalled. 

Signing his ELC eliminates Schaefer from going the collegiate route. 

The most likely route for Schaefer and the Islanders is to give him a nine-game sample size at the NHL level before making a decision. 

Once Schaefer plays in NHL game No. 10, he will burn a year off his ELC, and that's not ideal, hence the nine-game sample size we see often around the league.

Regardless of how this all plays out, signing his ELC is a huge moment for Schaefer and the franchise. 

PHOTO: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Ducks have trimmed their unsigned RFAs list down to one. Mason McTavish is the lone RFA left for the Ducks to sign after they signed forwards Sam Colangelo and Tim Washe to two-year deals on Monday. Both deals are two-way contracts in 2025-26 and will convert into one-way contracts for the 2026-27 season.

Colangelo split time between the NHL and AHL with the Ducks and San Diego Gulls during the 2024-25 season. He scored 22 goals in 40 games with the Gulls during his first full season as a pro and was named to the AHL All-Star Game. In 32 games with the Ducks, he scored 10 goals, with five of those coming during a four-game goalscoring streak at the beginning of March.

"I think I've grown a lot this year," Colangelo said. "I think the biggest thing I've probably gotten better at is my defensive play. Still a work in progress, especially playing against the best players in the world. It's hard to defend them, but just playing through bodies and using my size to my advantage, finishing checks. I think I've grown a lot, but I still think I have a long way to go."

Primarily used in the bottom-6 at the NHL level after occupying a top line role in the AHL, Colangelo is likely to have a similar role for the Ducks this upcoming season. Despite the departure of Trevor Zegras via trade, the additions of Chris Kreider and Mikael Granlund will fill out the top-6, pushing the likes of Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano down the lineup. Colangelo's best bet at a regular lineup spot may be on the fourth line, perhaps playing alongside another new addition in Ryan Poehling and fellow youngster Nikita Nesterenko.

At 6-foot-2 and weighing over 210 pounds, Colangelo can use his size and strength to help create what would be a much more complete fourth line than any that the Ducks have had in seasons past. With Granlund taking No. 64, Colangelo has switched to No. 12, which he wore during his senior collegiate season with Western Michigan.

Washe has just two NHL games under his belt, joining the Ducks as an undrafted free agent in April after helping lead Western Michigan to an NCAA championship. A sturdy center who excels on faceoffs, Washe said that he signed with the Ducks because of their young core and their need for another center.

"I'm just trying my best to make that fit and help the team," Washe said. "Just try to help any way I can. At the end of the day, you control what you can control. Effort, attitude, all that stuff. Just focus on that and getting better each day."

With a strong set of players down the middle in Leo Carlsson, McTavish, Strome and Poehling, Washe will likely start the season in the AHL to get more seasoning, barring an impressive training camp performance. The Gulls' center depth is quite strong as well, led by AHL veteran Ryan Carpenter and supplemented by Nathan Gaucher and Jan Myšák, who had a breakout AHL season in 2024-25.

All attention now turns to McTavish, who will likely see a large pay bump on his next contract. With a little over a month until training camp, there has been plenty of speculation on McTavish's future from external media outlets. Reaching an agreement before training camp would prevent a scenario similar to the one that played out with Zegras and Jamie Drysdale in 2023, where the pair of players signed mid-way through camp but then got injured.

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Featured image caption: Nov 27, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Anaheim Ducks right wing Sam Colangelo (64) shoots the puck during the second period against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Welcome back to The Hockey News - Vancouver Canucks site’s Coaches as Players series. Last time, we looked at Canucks icon and player development coach Henrik Sedin’s playing career. Today, we’ll be taking a look at skills and skating coach Jason Krog’s NHL career with the New York Islanders, Anaheim Ducks, Atlanta Thrashers, New York Rangers, and Canucks. 

Krog, an undrafted forward, specialized in faceoffs during his time in the NHL. Originally from Fernie, BC, he played with the Creston Valley Thunder and Chilliwack Chiefs from 1992 to 1995 before embarking on a four-year NCAA journey with the University of New Hampshire. He enjoyed back-to-back 66-point seasons, the latter of which he scored 33 goals during, and finished his time there with a total of 94 goals and 144 assists in 152 games. Krog was named captain in his final year and scored an NCAA career-high of 34 goals and 51 assists in 41 games. 

The 1999–2000 season was Krog’s first in the NHL, during which he played with the Islanders. He made his NHL debut on December 4, 1999, in a 4–3 loss to the Thrashers. Krog’s first NHL point came on February 10, 2000 against the Tampa Bay Lightning, after tallying an assist on the game’s opening goal scored by Mariusz Czerkawski. The game after, he had his first multi-point game with two assists against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The game after that, he scored his first NHL goal against the Rangers. Krog finished his first NHL season with two goals and four assists in 17 games played. During this season, he also spent time with the Lowell Lock Monsters and Providence Bruins of the AHL. 

Krog spent most of the season after, 2000–01, in the AHL. While he did slot into the Islanders’ lineup for nine games, tallying three assists in this span of time, he split most of his season with the Lock Monsters and Springfield Falcons. He tallied 11 goals and 16 assists with Lowell and seven goals and 23 assists with the Falcons, adding up to 57 points in 60 AHL games. 

In 2001–02, Krog played in 64 games for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, scoring 26 goals and 36 assists. He only played in two games for the Islanders, but had the chance to join Bridgeport in their quest for the 2002 Calder Cup. Despite a 10-goal, 13-assist effort in 20 playoff games, Krog and the Tigers lost 4–1 to the Chicago Wolves in the Calder Cup Final. Even so, this was only the beginning of Krog’s experience with Calder Cup Finals action. 

2002–03 marked the start of a different journey for Krog. Newly acquired by the Ducks organization, Krog spent 67 games with Anaheim in his first season with the club. It only took him two games to get his first point as a Duck and five to get his first goal. He had his first two-goal game on January 9, 2003 against the Colorado Avalanche, and recorded three assists against the Phoenix Coyotes on February 7. He finished the season with 10 goals and 15 assists. 

The 2003–04 season was Krog’s first full season spent in the NHL, as he played in 80 of the Ducks’ games. However, he saw a decline in his overall point production, scoring six goals and 12 assists — seven points less than what he had the season prior. During the lockout the year after, Krog played for Villacher SV of the EBEL, posting 27 goals and 33 assists in 48 games. While the NHL returned to play the year afterm Krog remained in Europe, spending the season with Genève-Servette HC of the NLA and Frölunda HC in Elitserien. 

Krog made his return to the NHL in 2006–07, joining the Thrashers for only 14 games. He potted a goal and three assists before ending up with the Rangers. With New York, Krog found his way to the Wolves — the team that had beaten him in the Calder Cup Final only five years prior. In 44 games with the Wolves, he scored an impressive 26 goals and 54 assists. In the postseason, he posted five goals and 14 assists in Chicago’s 15-game run. 

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In 2007–08, Krog stuck solely with the Wolves in the AHL. This seemed to have paid off, however, as he finished the season with 39 goals and 73 assists in 80 games played, making this his first 100-point season in any league. This effort earned him the Les Cunningham Award, which is given to the most valuable player in the AHL. Krog was a beast in the postseason as well, scoring 12 goals and 26 assists in 24 games and being named MVP of the 2008 Calder Cup Playoffs. Six seasons after losing to the Wolves in the Calder Cup Final, Krog hoisted the Calder Cup as a member of the very team that defeated him back then. 

After the success of his 2007–08 season with Chicago, Krog ended up signing a deal with none other than the Canucks. Despite only playing in four games and scoring a goal for Vancouver, Krog had yet another offensively-prolific season in the AHL — this time with the Manitoba Moose. He put together his second consecutive 30-goal season and added 56 assists to this, also stringing together an eight-goal, 15-assist performance in the postseason. While Krog had come out victorious in the 2008 Calder Cup Final, he and the Moose were on the opposite side in 2009, losing in six games to the Hershey Bears. 

Krog’s four games with the Canucks were the final games of his NHL career, as after this, he played in the AHL and a variety of European leagues before hanging up the skates in 2016–17. Before departing for Europe, he spent two more seasons with the Wolves, both as captain, and put together back-to-back 75-point seasons. 

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The Buffalo Sabres should be in the market for an impact top-six forward after dealing winger JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth for defenseman Michael Kesselring and winger Josh Doan, but the opening weeks of free agency did not provide GM Kevyn Adams with an opportunity to replace Peterka’s production, and with the two-year deal signed earlier this month with defenseman Bowen Byram, Adams will have to try to acquire a scoring forward with younger players, prospects, and/or draft picks. 

The name of Calgary winger Joel Farabee has been linked to the Sabres in the past, going back to his days with the Philadelphia Flyers. Farabee was a 2018 first round pick out of the US National Development Program and turned pro after one NCAA season at Boston University. After playing briefly in the AHL, he played 52 games as a 19-year-old rookie with the Flyers, and as a sophomore posted 20 goals in the post-COVID 56-game 2020-21 season. 

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Philadelphia was proactive and signed the winger to a six-year, $30 million extension, but the next few seasons saw a regression in his game due to injuries and a lack of confidence brought about by Flyers head coach John Tortorella. After a career-high 22 goals in 2023.24, the Syracuse native was dealt to the Flames mostly to clear the final three years of his contract off their books. 

Calgary is looking to challenge for a playoff spot, but there continues to be chatter that players like veteran center Nazem Kadri and defenseman Rasmus Andersson (who is entering the final year of his contract) could be dealt if the Flames show signs of not being in the mix.

What Would It Cost?

The Sabres could see an opportunity to bring in a Western New York native at a favorable number and cost certainty the next three seasons for a reasonable return. If the Flames shop Farabee, they could have interest in younger forwards who they would give more of an opportunity to. An almost perfect fit might be Calgary native Peyton Krebs, who was rumored to be a target of Philadelphia and could pique the interest of Flames GM Craig Conroy.  

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

The Buffalo Sabres want nothing more than to qualify for the 2025-26 Stanley Cup playoffs. Ending Buffalo's 14-year drought without any playoff games is a gigantic stain on the organization, but there's no assurace the Sabres will be able to vault over many solid teams and grab a playoff berth.

Indeed, with all but a few Eastern Conference teams having legitimate designs on being in the next post-season, Buffalo has almost zero room for error this coming season. If they don't start strong coming out of the gate, it could be impossible for them to dig out of the crater they leave and knock off a top-level Atlantic Division rival like the Toronto Maple Leafs or Tampa Bay Lightning. The Atlantic standings could feature five teams getting into the playoffs next year, but that would have to come at the expense of the Metropolitan Division's slew of teams that will be vying for a post-season spot. So the Sabres need to play well against the Metro's teams.

To that end, we've been going team-by-team through the Metro and the Eastern Conference in general to examine all the rivalries the Sabres will be immersed in next year. In today's file, we're finishing up the East with a look at the best team in the conference this past season -- the Washington Capitals, who finished first in the Metro last season.

The difference between making and missing the playoffs could come down to a few points, so the Sabres need to win more series than they lose -- and that will be difficult against a Capitals team that was dominant last season. But let's break things down in our usual format, and figure out if Buffalo really has a legitimate shot at winning their series against the Caps.

BUFFALO SABRES VS. WASHINGTON CAPITALS

NEW CAPITALS PLAYERS: Justin Sourdif, RW; Declan Chisholm, D 

2024-25 SERIES: Sabres 2-1-0, Capitals 1-1-1

2025-26 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER:  November 1 at Buffalo; March 12 at Buffalo; April 4 at Washington 

CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM?  The Sabres actually did fairly well against the Capitals last year, winning a 4-3 shootout game, then smacking Washington 8-5 in their final game of the season. That said, the Caps did win their first game against the Sabres, and they were on cruise control for a good portion of the latter part of the regular season, so Buffalo shouldn't be cocky that they can win two of three games against Washington this coming season.

Know Your Enemy, Sabres Metropolitan Edition: Should Buffalo Dominate Showdowns Against Lowly Penguins Next Year?The Buffalo Sabres know their schedule for the 2025-26 campaign, and if Buffalo hopes to end their Stanley Cup playoff drought after 14 years, they're going to need to make the most of every rivalry they have in the league. And that includes the Pittsburgh Penguins -- the team that is the latest Metropolitan Division rival for the Sabres in THN.com's Sabres site rankings of all Buffalo's Eastern Conference's rivals.

The Capitals made very few changes to their roster this summer, adding only fringe players Sourdif and Chisholm. If either of those players sees significant time, it will mean one of two things: either the Caps find a way to play so well, they can affort to rest their regulars, or Buffalo has so many injuries and/or underwhelming performances from their veterans, Capitals coach Spencer Carbery has no choice but to play the two players.

We don't expect the Capitals will get to that point, though. And while Buffalo can point to their two wins over Washington last season as a building point for future showdowns against the Capitals, the truth is that the Caps didn't need to make many moves this summer, and that they match up very well against the Sabres on paper.

To wit: Washington's defense corps performed very well last season, and while Buffalo may have more high-end depth on 'D' than the Capitals, the Sabres' overall play in their defensive end was a major stumbling block to their success, in a way that obviously wasn't what we saw from the Caps. And the Caps have many skilled, experienced players to help them be not only a playoff team, but a top team in their division and conference, and the league in general. 

 

Know Your Enemy, Sabres Metropolitan Edition: Do Young Flyers Pose A Threat To Buffalo Next Year?The Buffalo Sabres desperately need to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs next season. And while the Philadelphia Flyers aren't quite as desperate as the Sabres are to do so, Philadelphia GM Daniel Briere wouldn't object at all if the Flyers surprised people and got into the post-season this coming year.

Buffalo has two of its three games against Washington at home this coming year, and as we saw last season, the Sabres were a much better home team than they were on the road. And again, the NHL's playoff race could come down to one or two standings points. So having that second home game against the Capitals could be the difference between Buffalo making and missing the post-season next year.

So, to answer the above question -- can the Sabres beat this Capitals team? -- the answer is "Yes, they absolutely can". And if Buffalo does lose out on playoff hockey for a 15th consecutive season, and they lose the season series against Washington, their play against the Caps will underscore significant problems with the Sabres, problems that will be addressed next summer with many roster changes.

But if Buffalo wins their series against the Capitals, and they do get into the playoffs, the Sabres will be able to point to their play against Washington as one of the reasons they got into the post-season. There's no more excuses for Buffalo, and their performance against the Caps needs to prove to skeptics that this Sabres team is at long last ready to take the next competitive step.

The Buffalo Sabres have been considered to have one of the best deepest prospect pools in the NHL, which is in part due to them selecting high in recent drafts because of their not qualifying for the playoffs. The Sabres have displayed an eye for talent, but the organization’s developmental model has not yielded enough results. Leading up to the opening of training camp in mid-September, we will look at the club's top 40 prospects. All are 25 years old or younger, whose rights are currently held by the Sabres or are on AHL or NHL deals and have played less than 40 NHL games. 

#39 - Gustav Karlsson – Center (Falu IF -  HockeyEttan - SWE)

Karlsson was the second of the Sabres sixth-round picks at the 2022 NHL Draft in Montreal, where Buffalo chose three Swedish prospects with their last three picks. The 6’1”, 165 lb. center was selected as a 19-year-old overager out of the Orebro HK juniors after scoring 31 goals in 41 games, but the following season his goal totals dropped to 14.

 

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The 21-year-old has earned a couple of stints totaling 11 games at the SHL level,  but has not shown he is ready to play at the top level yet. After another season in juniors, Karlsson was assigned to the third-level pro league (HockeyEttan) and posted five goals for Vimmerby. Last season, he played at the same level for Falu IF, and only showed marginal improvement. According to Elite Prospects, he is slated to play for a third different club in as many years. 

Hockey Prospect’s Black Book said in his draft year that Karlsson “doesn’t engage in puck battles hard enough and often goes in with the intent of letting someone else bring the physicality.” His inability to generate offense even at a lower level does not speak well of his future prospect of earning an NHL deal.

  

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

Predicting what NHL teams might do at the NHL Draft every year is a tricky bit of business, and you can go at it from one of two angles. You can try and rank things based on where you believe players will be selected in the draft.  Or you can also rank things based on the level of impact you believe the player will one day have in the NHL. 

There's definitely some degree of overlap in the two projection styles, but it's unbelievably difficult to know for sure if a player who thrives at the pace and competition of the amateur level will be able to do the same against the bigger, stronger, faster pace of the NHL.

As we look back on The Hockey News' 2020 NHL Draft Preview Issue, published right before the greatest draft in Sens history, it sheds some light on just how hard these predictions are.

For example, everybody's number one that year was Alexis Lafreniere, but five years later, no one would rank him in that spot again in a re-draft. THN's 100 projections that year included six future Senators and one that didn't make the top 100 but was still drafted early in the second round.

• Tim Stutzle prediction: 3rd overall (picked 3rd overall) Correct

• Jake Sanderson prediction: 11th overall (picked 5th overall) 6 picks earlier

• Tyler Kleven prediction: 33rd overall (picked 44th overall) 11 picks earlier

• Ridly Greig prediction: 45th overall (picked 28th overall) 17 picks earlier

• Egor Sokolov prediction: 71st overall (picked 61st overall) 10 picks earlier
• Roby Jarventie prediction: Not in top 100 (picked 33rd overall)

• Donovan Sebrango prediction: 87th overall (picked 63rd overall - DET) 24 picks later

The die isn't fully cast on the 2020 Draft class, but it's getting there, and it's always interesting to look back at how people felt about certain players. Some players proved everyone right, while others proved everyone wrong.

---

The Hockey News Archive
May 11, 2020/vol. 73, issue 06

Prospect Rankings

Games were cancelled, but the show must go on. So we look ahead to a draft featuring elite-level talent and depth. Oh, and watch out for the Germans!

WHILE THE SEASON didn't end the way anyone predicted, scouts and GMs will still have to select their future – and by all accounts, it’s a great draft class.

Alexis Lafreniere went post-to-post as the No. 1-rated prospect, and the Rimouski Oceanic phenom only strengthened his grip on the top spot as the campaign went on. Quinton Byfield is a good bet to go No. 2 thanks to his incredible upside, but what happens next will be fascinating.

Tim Stutzle could become the highest-drafted German since Leon Draisaitl went third in 2014, but don’t count out Lucas Raymond or even Jamie Drysdale. No matter what happens, it’s going to be a celebratory draft for German hockey. Stutzle, J.J. Peterka and Lukas Reichel make up the nation’s best class ever.

In the following pages, you will find our ranking of the top 100 players in the 2020 draft class. The top 62 prospects get full reports, written by senior writers Ryan Kennedy and Ken Campbell, featuring quotes from NHL scouts, while we provide snapshot descriptions of the remaining hopefuls. From Alexis Lafreniere to Alex Laferriere, we’ve got you covered.

This article originally appeared on The Hockey News: 

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