New York Islanders newcomer and former St. Louis Blues captain Bradyden Schenn was brought in at the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline for many reasons.
He brings snarl. He knows what it takes to win a Stanley Cup, and he plays a two-way game that makes the Islanders just harder to play against.
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Serving as the No. 2 center, he was also brought in to mentor 21-year-old forward Calum Ritchie. That mentoring has already begun.
“[Ritchie] cannot have a better mentor than Brayden Schenn,” Islanders head coach Patrick Roy told local reporters on Tuesday morning. “I mean, he’s exactly the type of player Ritchie is. So I feel like it’s going to be good for Cal. He’s such a good hockey player. Great hands, great skills, sees the eyes well, moves the puck well. So, I mean, I feel like it’s a great fit for him.”
For Schenn, he had some great mentors show him the ropes and loves paying it forward whenever he can.
“When I was young, I had a lot of guys look after me — Danny Briere, Claude Giroux, Scott Hartnell, Wayne Simmonds, Kimmo Timonen, the list goes on,” Schenn said. “When I came to St. Louis, I had a lot of guys in my corner helping me out, too.
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“When you’re young in this league, you need help. It’s a man’s game, and it comes at you fast. When I got to St. Louis, I felt like I owed it to the next guy. Jake Neighbours lived at my place. Jimmy Snuggerud lived at my place. You help the young guys as much as they want help.
Schenn’s locker room stall is right next to Ritchie’s — that’s by design. And the mentorship has
“Playing with Cal, he’s extremely talented,” Schenn said. “He’s a high pick with a lot of skill. You can tell he’s just getting his feet wet in the NHL, and there’s a lot of untapped potential there.”
Quotes are courtesy of New York Islanders (@NYIslanders).
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