The scoreboard at showed a final score of White 4 Blue 0 in the Islanders Blue vs White Prospects Game at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow.
It doesn’t matter. The final score was irrelevant.
For a July evening on Long Island, the most important number on this night was 2,400…the estimated sellout crowd that was on hand to see 38 Islanders prospects wearing real Islanders uniforms in a game. To be honest, I think that number was a little low because the listed seating capacity for the building is 2,500 and there were people standing, in some places as many as ten deep, behind the goals on both sides.
I think the real number was over 3,000 but the visual was that you couldn’t see an empty seat. The place was packed…to see Islanders rookies, many of whom will be playing the 2025-26 season in the AHL, juniors or college.
The evening can be summed up by saying that the fan base is excited about the new era of Islanders hockey and it was the rookies who felt that first sense of renewed passion.
“It was amazing,” said defenseman Matthew Schaefer, the first overall pick last Friday in the NHL Draft. “I love playing hockey. I love being in the games.
Practices are fun but games are even better.”
Schaefer was a big reason for the SRO crowd and the fans went nuts every time he touched the puck during the game as well as the full-squad shootout the took place following the contest.
The game capped off quite a day for the Islanders who made news before the game with the signing of coveted Russian forward Maxim Shabanov to a one-year deal.
That news was shared with the fans at the Al Arbour Rink with an announcement from public address announcer Alex Anthony and a graphic shown on the videoboard.
Already excited to be in attendance, the fans were even more energized with that news and the passion was there throughout the 40-minute game split into a pair of 20-minute halves.
“It was awesome,” said forward Calum Ritchie who was acquired this past season at the deadline from Colorado in the Brock Nelson trade. “I don’t think anyone was expecting that many fans tonight so it was really cool. It was electric and it was a lot of fun.”
The game was the centerpiece of the Islanders development camp this week. After practices on Monday and Tuesday and a brief skate on Wednesday morning, the chance to play in a game in front of a sellout crowd was a special treat for these prospects. The camp will close with a final practice on Thursday, but the players lasting memory from the camp will most certainly be the game.
The atmosphere was about as close to a real game as you could ask for during a summer development camp and there probably aren’t too many fan bases that could have pulled it off.
But Islanders Country delivered in a big way.
“That was awesome,” said forward Cole Eiserman, the Islanders’ 1st round pick (20th overall) in 2024 who will be heading back to Boston University for his sophomore season.
“It was a great time. Great fans. First time in an Islanders jersey in a way so that was a lot of fun and it was really enjoyable. There was a lot of compete out there feeling the crowd and getting excited over little things…the stuff you miss in the summer.”
The end of camp on Thursday wraps up quite a week for new Islanders General Manager Mathieu Darche.
Here’s a recap…
-Made nine selections in the 2025 NHL Draft including Matthew Schaefer, Victor Eklund and Kashawn Aitcheson in the first round.
-Re-signed defenseman Alex Romanov to an eight-year deal.
-Re-signed defenseman Tony DeAngelo to a one-year deal.
-Signed free agent forward Jonathan Drouin to a two-year contract.
-Signed free agent goalie David Rittich to a one-year deal.
-Re-signed forward Simon Holmstrom to a two-year contract.
-Signed forward Emil Heineman, acquired from Montreal in the Noah Dobson trade, to a two-year deal.
-Signed KHL forward Maxim Shabanov to a one-year deal.
The reaction from Islanders fans this week does prove one point…hope for a great future is a lot better than being stuck in mediocrity. The fans have embraced the infusion of youth into the organization and there is excitement about watching these prospects develop into important pieces of what the Islanders hope will be a Stanley Cup puzzle.
It didn’t take long for the first overall pick in the draft to realize how good of a situation he is now in.
“I love this place,” said Schaefer. “I can see myself being here for a long time.
I want to be here forever. The fans are amazing and I can’t wait to play a home game in front of them. It will be so cool and so surreal.”
On Wednesday night, Schaefer, along with the other prospects, got a small taste of what that will be like. If 3,000 fans can generate the atmosphere that was on display at the prospects game, imagine what opening night at UBS Arena will be like come October.