Since stepping on NHL ice for the first time in October, Matthew Schaefer has helped transform the NY Islanders organization from a “boring” team to one of the most exciting in the league.
Despite all he’s done on the ice, his greatest contribution has come off the ice as not only a fantastic hockey player, but as a terrific human being.
Yesterday, the NHL announced that Schaefer has signed on as a Hockey Fights Cancer champion, teaming with the V Foundation to raise awareness and continue the global initiative to fight cancer.
“When they told me of the opportunity, I jumped right on it,” Schaefer told Chris Lomon of NHLPA.com. “I love helping people, and I enjoy being part of something where you can use your voice and show people that they are not alone in whatever they are going through.”
By now, we all know Schaefer’s story, losing his mother to cancer and his billet mother during his time with the Erie Otters just a few months later.
“Helping others is definitely something I want to do,” Schaefer said last month before the Islanders’ annual Hockey Fights Cancer game. “Everything happens for a reason. My mom battled cancer as hard as she could. I will always look up to her. I know she will always be with me every step of the way and that she is here in spirit with me. She will always have a front-row seat to every hockey game. You have to remember the happy times and memories and keep those close. It’s important to do that.”
At just 18-years-old, Schaefer is mature beyond his years and is using his platform for the best. The Islanders and their fans are extremely lucky to have a player like Schaefer in the organization who will continue to transcend the game with more than just statistics.