The summer of 2026 has been one of change for the New York Islanders, with the departure of longtime captain Anders Lee.

Lee signed a three-year deal with the Utah Mammoth, ending his time with the Islanders after over 900 NHL games with the blue and orange.

His departure leaves the Islanders with a big void to fill, one where the Islanders can take some time to come to the right decision, and don't even necessarily need to name a captain by training camp.

Bo Horvat remains a leading candidate, as a former captain of the Vancouver Canucks and a current alternate captain for the Islanders.

Still, some have taken to social media or other avenues to say Matthew Schaefer, the rookie superstar and franchise cornerstone, could be named captain before he turns 19 years old in early September.

Our very own Stefen Rosner joined DLLS Stars to discuss why Schaefer should not be the captain next, at least not yet.