Coach Pete DeBoer of the Islanders made lineup changes for their game against the Blackhawks after Alexander Romanov was lost for the season due to an ACL tear. Schaefer remained on the right side while Scott Mayfield joined the lineup, with Logan Stanley and Tony DeAngelo also getting new positions. Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock were paired together again. The coach emphasized flexibility in these defensive pairings, noting that Romanov’s absence leaves the left side thinner than before. Schaefer expressed willingness to play wherever needed, while Mayfield sees this as an opportunity to regain his lineup spot after being scratched at the start of the season.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-09,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
The Islanders’ first crack a lineup without Alexander Romanov came with a reshuffling instead of a call-up.
asserted
crack → come → reshuffling
Coach Pete DeBoer kept Matthew Schaefer on the right and inserted Scott Mayfield into the lineup for Thursday’s match against the Blackhawks at UBS, moving Logan Stanley to the top pair alongside Schaefer and Tony DeAngelo to his off side on Mayfield’s left.
asserted
DeBoer → keep → left
Those were the first and third pairs; the second featured the reunion of Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock.
asserted
second → feature → Pelech
“We’re gonna start this way, and we’ll see,” DeBoer said.
asserted
DeBoer → go → ?
“And then from there, nothing’s set in stone.
asserted
nothing → set → stone
We might move guys around, so I think probably a lot like our line combinations, I’m not married to anything.
uncertain
I → move → anything
But I think the initial thought was, we’ve got puck movers with guys that think defense first.”
asserted
that → think → defense
With Romanov likely to miss the entire season after tearing his ACL in Tuesday’s loss to the Rangers, it’s a safe bet this is only the first attempt at sorting out the defense pairs.
asserted
this → miss → pairs
It’s instructive, though, that DeBoer kept Schaefer on the right, which Schaefer said came after a conversation between the two.
asserted
Schaefer → ’ → two
That is another sign in a series of them that the organization might see Schaefer as a long-term option on the right — which would be a way of balancing out a lefty-heavy pool of defensemen both on the roster and in the prospect pipeline.
uncertain
which → see → pipeline
“Of course [DeBoer’s] gonna talk [to me] and see what I feel comfortable with,” Schaefer said.
asserted
Schaefer → go → what
“At the end of the day, I like just being on the ice.
asserted
I → like → ice
If it’s left, if it’s right, whatever makes the boat go faster.
asserted
boat → ’ → ?
It’s gonna be awesome.”
asserted
It → go → ?
DeBoer, for his part, said he’s comfortable with Schaefer anywhere — so much so that he can build the rest of the lineup first and then insert the defenseman on whichever side is needed.
asserted
side → say → defenseman
With Schaefer on the right and Romanov done for the year, the left side has quickly become much thinner than it looked just a few weeks ago, a fact underscored by Stanley playing on the top pair so soon after signing.
asserted
Stanley → do → pair
DeBoer and teammates alike used words such as “devastating” in relation to Romanov, who was just three games into his return from shoulder surgery and now needs to spend another season rehabbing.
asserted
who → use → season
“I just feel awful for him,” Bo Horvat said.
asserted
Horvat → feel → him
I just feel sick for him.
asserted
I → feel → him
I know how hard he worked in the summertime to get back into the shape that he’s in, and he looked great.
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he → know → that
A couple games in, I’m heartbroken for him.
asserted
I → ’m → him
For Mayfield, this is also a critical chance to earn back a lineup spot he failed to defend in training camp, resulting in three consecutive healthy scratches to start the season.
asserted
he → earn → season
The veteran defenseman might be called into action on the penalty kill as well, should DeBoer want to continue keeping Schaefer off the 4-on-5 unit in an attempt to keep the 19-year-old’s minutes at least somewhat in check.
uncertain
DeBoer → call → check
“Obviously not playing, all you want to do is be out there with the guys and be competing,” Mayfield said.
asserted
Mayfield → play → guys
A strong showing right away would do a lot for Mayfield given there is plenty of internal competition.
asserted
showing → do → competition
Isaiah George and Kashawn Aitcheson, both lefties, are in AHL Hamilton but could be in line for call-ups should a need arise.
uncertain
need → arise → ups
“What I like about [Mayfield], he didn’t pout about the situation,” DeBoer said.
asserted
DeBoer → like → situation
“He handled it like a pro.
asserted
He → handle → pro
He’s got great leadership, and he worked hard.
asserted
he → get → leadership
Now, he’s got an opportunity to get back in.
asserted
he → get → opportunity
That’s all part of hockey, it’s how you respond to adversity.”
asserted
you → ’ → adversity
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