PITTSBURGH — Matthew Schaefer stepped onto the PPG Paints Arena ice at 10:52 a.m. for the morning skate before his NHL debut, then ended the pregame practice by having the honor of leading the Islanders in stretching along with fellow rookie Max Shabanov, a role usually reserved for the captain.

The No. 1 overall pick also took a rookie lap with Shabanov, six years older and already with three years experience in the KHL, just before puck drop on Thursday night against the Penguins.

In many ways, the Islanders’ season opener was what the defenseman has been preparing for ever since he first put on skates. Yet the 18-year-old with well-beyond-his-age maturity knows it’s just Game No. 1.

“Super-exciting,” Schaefer said, facing an abnormally large media scrum in front of his dressing r

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