Islanders' Matthew Schaefer shows his skills at rookie camp

Matthew Schaefer stood out during summer prospect development camp , and the defenseman’s elite skills again were readily evident as the Islanders opened rookie camp on Thursday. But the No. 1 overall pick will have to prove his talent matches with NHL veterans to make the opening-night roster.

His offseason work will help. Schaefer skated this summer in Toronto with a group that includes the Flames’ Nazem Kadri, the Blue Jackets’ Sean Monahan, the Flyers’ Jamie Drysdale and the Maple Leafs’ Scott Laughton.

“I feel so much more ready,” Schaefer said on Thursday at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow. “When you’re training in the summer with a lot of top-end guys like Nazem Kadri and Sean Monahan and you’re going up against them, it’s pretty cool. You don’t want to get caught puc