Matthew Schaefer is the face of the Islanders franchise but is in no rush to be face of the franchise, and Gavin McKenna should follow suit with his expectations in Toronto.
A unanimous selection for the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year, New York Islanders defenceman Matthew Schaefer has already proven that his talents are out of this world and with him putting together a 23-goal, 59-point season at only 18 - the future is more than bright going forward.
But he also understands the pressures of not only being a first overall pick but also the expectations that come with that. Besides being expected to be an offensive leader while patrolling the blueline, Schaefer will no doubt be viewed as the captain of the future especially with Anders Lee headed elsewhere this summer.
Matthew Schaefer is refusing to let captaincy change his approach
Though if you were to ask Schaefer, it's the last thing on his mind.
Schaefer was a guest at the 12th annual Smilezone Foundation Celebrity Golf Tournament in Brampton as part of a star-studded group that included several other NHL stars.
Probed by the media about his goals this season, when asked about if captaincy was on his mind he responded in a way only Schaefer could:
I want to learn from those guys and become the best version of myself I can be. It doesn't really matter about [the captaincy] because we have so many leaders in the room. Once you start the season, everyone is going to step up and everyone has a voice.
While the 'C' isn't on his mind right now, that statement oozes leadership qualities. Schaefer understands that leading doesn't always involve a letter and wants to learn from his teammates first while also establishing himself.
Taking his time to learn how his teammates function on the ice, working with coach Peter DeBoer, and playing more and more is only going to strengthen his case for captaincy, but he's not letting his accomplishments last year or in the future dictate when he's ready - it's when Schaefer is comfortable.
It's not like Schaefer isn't aware of the future expectations both the Islanders and their fans have of him, and it's not the first time he's advised McKenna on what to expect, as he had a message for him ahead of the season starting.
Gavin McKenna must establish himself first in Toronto before carrying expectations
Shifting gears to another teenager with a potential captaincy in his future is Gavin McKenna. The 2026 first overall pick has a boatload of expectations from the fanbase in Toronto and the team is looking for him to be their foundational piece in a couple of years.
But much like Schaefer, McKenna should resist the pressure to be everything Toronto needs right away. Currently, Auston Matthews is captain and there's been no indication he's leaving as of yet. If he does depart, Toronto already has a couple of players they'd likely look to before McKenna.
Auston Matthews came into the team in 2016-17 and wasn't made captain until 2024-25, and there's no reason to do anything different with McKenna.
The Maple Leafs will no doubt have McKenna wearing a 'C' one day but for now, he doesn't need to focus on that. Following what Schaefer does and being a constantly learning and evolving player it'll allow him to carry that weight when the time calls for it.
Who should be the Maple Leafs captain if Auston Matthews leaves?
Also read on Hockey Patrol :
Maple Leafs fans just got great news about watching games this season