Andrew Gross: Mathew Barzal one step closer to returning for Islanders, and Matthew Schaefer can't wait
Islanders' Mathew Barzal skates against the Dallas Stars at UBS Arena on March 26, 2026 in Elmont. Credit: Getty Images/Bruce Bennett
Matthew Schaefer’s eyes widened and a smile flashed on the 19-year-old defenseman’s face when the possibility of soon skating with Mathew Barzal and Matias Maccelli was broached.
He knows the importance of having the Islanders’ team speed bolstered by getting the top-six forwards back in the mix. And the importance to himself — as the Islanders’ best skater — of having speedy teammates joining him on the rush.
That will be the most noticeable way the Islanders will look different when that injured duo returns.
Saturday brought that a step closer to reality as Barzal and Maccelli both shed the red, non-contact jerseys they’d been wearing since rejoining their teammates on ice for practices on Wednesday for a regular warm-up jersey during the optional morning skate beforethe conclusion of a three-game homestand against the Devils at UBS Arena.
For the Islanders, the return date can’t come soon enough even as Barzal (left knee), out since the opening of training camp, has been patient and prudent in judging how his body feels.
“I love to play fast, I love when I can skate up the ice with guys that are super fast,” Schaefer said when Newsday asked how Barzal and Maccelli’s presence in the lineup will help him. “Using our chemistry together. When you can play at a high pace and keep it going, using your hockey IQ and speed, it’s always fun.”
For all the recent hand-wringing over finishing opportunities and the sputtering power play and trying to find solutions to patch those problems, the real answer is there is no substitute for speed in the NHL.
The Islanders are hopeful Barzal and Maccelli, along with defenseman Ryan Pulock (upper body), who remained in a non-contact jersey on Saturday, can accompany the team on its three-game California swing, which opens Monday night in San Jose. Maccelli was expected to miss 2-4 weeks after getting injured on Oct. 17 and Pulock was placed on the same timeline after getting hurt on Oct. 29.
All three went for further medical evaluation on Saturday to determine whether they’d travel.
“It’s all medical doctors,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “If they have a chance to play, that’s part of it. The other part is we have some practice time on the road, real practice time. Are they better even if they can’t play, practicing with us as a group or staying back here on their own?”
DeBoer was not ready to delve into where Barzal and Maccelli will slot back into the lineup when they’re ready or whether Barzal will play center or on the wing.
But one does not need to be a coach to know this: Both will go back into a top six that’s struggling to produce consistently. Maccelli was skating with top-line center Bo Horvat when he was hurt. Both will find spots on either of the two power-play units with the Islanders entering Saturday’s match a dismal 1-for-18 on the man advantage over their previous five games.
A non-coach’s opinion here: It’s a good bet Maccelli will skate with Horvat and Kyle Palmieri when available and Barzal will work on the second line with Brayden Schenn and rookie Victor Eklund. It will deepen the lineup with Ondrej Palat, Emil Heineman, Simon Holmstrom and Anthony Duclair all then capable of providing depth scoring.
This is not to say Barzal and Maccelli’s returns will prove to be an instant panacea.
But having their speed and playmaking skills will certainly put more pressure on defenders.
Lest we forget, Barzal did lead the Islanders with 72 points (19 goals, 53 assists) in 81 games last season despite constantly having to manage his left knee. He initially took a shot off his kneecap on Feb. 1, 2025 and missed the rest of that season after requiring surgery. He could not pass the Day 1 physical for training camp because of inflammation.
Maccelli had two goals and four assists in his first eight games as an Islander.
“We miss those guys and we’re happy to see them back for sure,” Heineman, who took a turn skating with Horvat on Saturday, told Newsday. “For sure, it’s a lot of skill that’s coming in. Whatever it is they bring, it’s a lot of offensive skills so it means a lot.”
Schaefer brought four goals and 11 assists in the first 15 games into Saturday’s match.
His eyes told the story of what Barzal and Maccelli’s return might do for the team. And for him.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
