Дөнгөж 19 настай Мэттью Шефер NHL-ийн шинэ улиралд багийн ахлагчийн туслахын үүрэг гүйцэтгэхээр болжээ.
Нью-Йорк Айлендерсийн дасгалжуулагч Пит Дебур улирлын өмнөх бэлтгэлийн үеэр Мэттью Шеферийг ирээдүйн ахлагч хэмээн онцолж байсан нь ийнхүү бодит ажил хэрэг боллоо. Уг шийдвэрийн дагуу Мэттью Шефер болон Кайл Палмиери нар талбайдаа хийх тоглолтуудад, харин Райан Пулок болон Брэйден Шенн нар зочлон тоглохдоо багийн ахлагчийн туслахаар ажиллана.
Бэлтгэлийн үеэр бэртлийн улмаас түр хугацаанд завсарласан Мэттью Шефер, Брэйден Шенн, Тони ДеАнджело нар Мягмар гарагт Онтарио мужийн Гравенхерст хотод болсон багийн бэлтгэлд эргэн нэгдлээ. Багийн ахлагч Бо Хорват болон бусад ахлагчийн туслахуудын бүрэлдэхүүнийг эцэслэн зарласан бөгөөд багийн удирдлага Адам Пелеч, Мэт Барзал нарыг ч мөн манлайлагчдын бүлэгт багтаасан байна.
Нью-Йорк Айлендерс Лхагва гарагт Торонто Мэйпл Лифстэй тоглох бөгөөд хаалгачаар Илья Сорокин гарах төлөвтэй байна. Өвдөгний бэртэлтэй байгаа Мэт Барзал одоогоор мөсөн дээр гараагүй байгаа ч багийн хурал болон бусад үйл ажиллагаанд оролцож байгааг Пит Дебур мэдээллээ.
Дэлгэрэнгүйг эх сурвалжаас харах
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TORONTO — Matthew Schaefer is just 19, but coach Pete DeBoer nonetheless called him a “future captain” of the Islanders during the preseason.
DeBoer and the Islanders backed up their words Tuesday, announcing that Schaefer will be one of four players to wear an “A” this season.
Since just two players can do so in each game, Schaefer and Kyle Palmieri will be the Islanders assistant captains for home games, with Ryan Pulock and Brayden Schenn filling the role when the club is on the road.
The appointment doesn’t come as much of a surprise. When the Islanders named Bo Horvat captain at the start of training camp, they didn’t keep it a secret that Schaefer was considered. Barring something unexpected, he’s the captain-in-waiting — and, with Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini being given captaincies in Chicago and San Jose, by the time Schaefer has a “C” on his jersey, it’ll be well after some of his peers.
Not that that’s entirely a bad thing.
“It shows you how special a kid he is that he was a consideration,” DeBoer said early in camp. “Otherwise, his name never would have been ever mentioned, so that shows you already the respect the group has for him, the respect the team has for him and how he carries himself. He’s so mature beyond his years. He was definitely a consideration.”
DeBoer also said at the time that the Islanders would have a larger leadership group beyond players wearing letters. Among those he named as part of it were Adam Pelech and Mat Barzal.
After Schaefer, Schenn and Tony DeAngelo missed practice Sunday, all three were on the ice Tuesday for practice in Gravenhurst, Ontario.
There were no surprises in how the Islanders reportedly lined up, with DeBoer keeping intact the same lines and pairs that have been in place for much of training camp.
Likewise, Ilya Sorokin is expected to start in net Wednesday against the Maple Leaf.
The only change, to the extent you can call it that, was on the back of Victor Eklund’s jersey. The Swedish rookie switched from No. 73 to No. 38.
Barzal (left kneecap) hasn’t yet started to skate, though he did travel for the team bonding trip and opener. DeBoer told reporters he is “around the corner” and attending meetings, but didn’t specify a timeline.
The Islanders will see Kirill Marchenko on Wednesday, with the winger making his Leafs debut Tuesday night against the Canadiens right off the back of a blockbuster deal that sent him from Columbus to Toronto.
