Islanders’ Patrick Roy has no problem with Barzal defending Schaefer

When your team lands one of the most promising young players in the league, making sure he stays protected becomes a top priority.

The New York Islanders did just that on Sunday night after rising star defenceman Matthew Schaefer got tripped by Columbus Blue Jackets forward Mason Marchment.

In the opening minutes of the second period of Sunday’s showdown, Marchment went after Schaefer as the defenceman crossed the blue line in open ice and sent a pass to Anders Lee along the boards.

Schaefer went down to the ice hard on the play and slid all the way to the opposing blue line before getting back up and getting back into the play, but Islanders teammate Mathew Barzal felt some comeuppance was due for Marchment.

Barzal slashed Marchment, sending the Columbus forward down to the ice, and the teams got into a scrum after the whistle was blown. Both players received penalties on the play, with Marchment getting two minutes for tripping and Barzal receiving five and a game misconduct for slashing.

Despite the hefty penalty, Islanders head coach Patrick Roy felt the play from his centre was more than justified.

“We thought it was a knee-on-knee,” Roy said to reporters after the game. “We’re never going to blame a teammate going and trying to defend a teammate… I like the response by Barzy.”

“We’re all glad he stood up for Schaef,” fellow Isles defenceman Adam Pelech added, according to Islanders writer Ethan Sears.

Schaefer, 18, has lived up to expectations as the No. 1 overall pick from this year’s draft, registering nine goals and 15 assists through 39 games while helping the Islanders to a 21-14-4 record and second in the Metropolitan.

While he hasn’t been afraid to block a shot, tallying 54 on the season, and his six-foot-two frame is nothing to scoff at, physicality isn’t his calling card. And as the future of the franchise, he appreciates that his veteran teammates have stood up for him.

“On and off the ice, he’s a great guy and a great leader too,” Schaefer said of Barzal, per Sears. “Obviously, thanks for doing that right there. That just shows an older guy helping me out there. Just like everyone else.”

Marchment also understands why the Islanders reacted the way they did — especially considering his own penchant for physicality — and there certainly doesn’t seem to be any bad blood for the retaliation from Barzal.

“I’m kind of used to it by now. It’s part of my game to try to get in the other teams’ head a little bit,” he said to reporters. “You know, I was never trying to hurt him there in the middle, just get in his way. Probably not smart by me.”

He added that he wasn’t surprised the Isles went after him, saying, “You’ve got to protect your guy. I get it 100 per cent.”