Roy heaps praise on Schaefer: 'He was our best player' vs. Capitals

It's safe to say New York Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer has made a strong impression on head coach Patrick Roy just two games into his NHL career.

This year's No. 1 overall pick scored his first goal, recorded eight shots, and led the contest with 26:04 of ice time in Saturday's loss to the Washington Capitals.

"He's so good. He was our best player out there tonight," Roy said. "I thought he brought the energy at the end of the second period, and we got that power play, and he deserved to be there. Plain and simple."

Roy added, "He's exciting to watch. If I'm a fan, I'll pay to watch him play. There's no doubt about it."

Schaefer played nearly 10 additional minutes Saturday compared to his NHL debut earlier this week. He notched one assist and was a plus-1 in his first game.

The Islanders outshot the Capitals 11-5 and controlled 58.3% of shot attempts with Schaefer on the ice at five-on-five Saturday, according to Natural Stat Trick.

Injury limited Schaefer to 17 games with the OHL's Erie Otters last season, but Roy admitted he isn't concerned about potentially wearing the 18-year-old out as he adjusts to the pros.

"I'm sorry, I don't look at what happened last year," Roy said. "I'm focusing on what I see right now, and what I see right now is a guy that's capable of handling those minutes.

"He forced us to play him."

Schaefer said he didn't mind taking on the extra responsibility in his second appearance.

"I feel good," he added. "I love to play hockey. Any time I get out there, I love it."

The Islanders will look to earn their first win of the season when they return to action Monday against the Winnipeg Jets.