The 2025-26 season for the New York Islanders has gone better than many expected. While sitting in a playoff spot around the trade deadline, General Manager Mathieu Darche looked to reward the team by upgrading the roster via trade. Darche would make one move, trading for veteran forward Brayden Schenn from the St. Louis Blues. The Islanders sent forward Jonathan Drouin, the first-round pick they got from the Avalanche, and a prospect in return.
Acquiring Schenn was a move to improve the lineup, adding some juice and veteran leadership to the group. The results of adding Schenn started to show as he has made an immediate impact since the trade. With the team as a whole getting better due to this trade, the biggest winner is rookie forward Calum Ritchie. who, now that he has a player like Schenn around him, has developed tremendously.
Ritchie and Schenn’s Similarities in Playstyle
When the Islanders made the trade for Schenn, one of the things that fans liked was how much of his game they saw in Ritchie’s. With Schenn being a former Stanley Cup Champion and a productive player in the league for a long time, he knows what it takes to be successful. With a similar playstyle to Ritchie, Schenn can help mold him into the player he was.
Ritchie, in his first NHL season, has had some great games but has also struggled in certain areas. His development has looked strong, but getting a veteran like Schenn will take his development to a new level. The playmaking the young forward has at just 21 years old is really advanced. His defensive side and physicality need some more work, which is something a veteran like Schenn can help with.
Teaching in Practice
Despite being on the island for a short period of time, Schenn has already been seen working with the rookie in practice. With Ritchie playing on the top power play line, he does a lot of playmaking on that unit. Schenn has been seen in practice, giving him pointers on playing his role on the goal line.
With the Islanders having a power play ranked 30th in the NHL, Ritchie’s development there will be crucial. Having someone at the goal line who can make plays like him will free up scorers in the middle. Early in the year, we have seen these flashes from him on the power play. With the addition of Schenn, the hope is that the production becomes consistent for Ritchie.
Brayden Schenn’s Immediate Impact
Since the trade, Ritchie’s production has skyrocketed. He is currently riding a five-game point streak, with 11 points in 13 games. The breakout in his game has been a crucial part of the Islanders’ playoff fight. The playmaking has once again looked strong, having multiple highlight reel-worthy plays, and has scored in big moments for the team.
Schenn has been just as strong on a line with Ritchie, scoring 10 points in 13 games since the trade. The two have had great chemistry with each other, especially on the power play. Some of that chemistry was put on display against the Toronto Maple Leafs, where Schenn would net his first goal as an Islander on a beautiful behind-the-back pass.
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With Ritchie, his ability to drive plays was not consistent early on. With the addition of Schenn, the jump has been significant, leading to his jump in production.
Push For Playoffs
With a playoff spot in reach, the production from Brayden Schenn and Calum Ritchie will be crucial to the team’s success. Schenn has scored a goal in each of his last three games, with Ritchie assisting on two of them. Since the trade, the Islanders have been getting this type of production from their second line. With Matthew Barzal playing with both Schenn and Ritchie, the line has given the most production as of late.
With one point separating the Islanders and Blue Jackets in the playoff race, every point matters down the stretch. After losing two straight, the Islanders are looking to bounce back and finish the year strong. The team has been in and out of a playoff spot, but with the Ritchie line figuring it out due to the addition of Schenn, the rest of the offense producing will give the Islanders a good chance at returning to the playoffs.
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