Mar 1, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (48) celebrates with the crowd after the victory over the Florida Panthers during the third period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images
EAST MEADOW, NY — The Calder Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL’s top rookie, is already all but Matthew Schaefer’s.
The defenseman put together one of the greatest seasons ever by an 18-year-old, tying a league record for most goals by a rookie blueliner with 23, originally set by Brian Leetch in 1988-89. He has drawn the plaudits of nearly everyone around the NHL, with comparisons ranging from Colorado Avalanche superstar Cale Makar to the legendary Paul Coffey.
If it were up to him, he’d be focusing on an Islanders playoff run rather than the awards that will be given out on June 12. But New York’s collapse down the stretch, going 4-10-0 in its final 14 games, has forced the offseason to come much earlier than expected.
Still, the impending honor is a great one.
“It’s so far down the road, and right now, I wish we could be in the playoffs and still be playing because when you’re a hockey player, and you love playing with these guys and going to war, you don’t want to stop, and it feels just too early to stop playing hockey,” Schaefer said. “It’d be a dream come true, obviously, just the names that have won that award, and there are so many talented players in this rookie draft class here. Obviously, it’d be a dream come true, but it’s a tight race, and there’s a lot of great players, so we’ll see when the time comes. I don’t want to look ahead or anything and just wait to see when that time comes. But if it happens, it’d be a dream come true.”
It was clear from the season’s opening puck drop that the 2025 No. 1 overall pick was not just a natural at the NHL level, but a generational talent in the making. While the goals show just how high his offensive ceiling is, his defensive game is already sound, and his puck possession — specifically on the opponent’s blue line — is elite.
His success from the jump even surprised himself, in a way.
“100% [I exceeded my expectations],” Schaefer said. “I mean, honestly, at the start of the season, I didn’t know if I was going to be up or down. And for me, I wanted to learn so much from everyone and keep bettering my ability in each and every way, and just get better each day. And I think from the coaches to the players, they’ve helped me so much with that. But coming in, I didn’t think I was gonna start off like that, or anything like that, but my teammates helped me so much. And I always say my teammates, but they mean a lot to me. It’s crazy to think that I’m playing in the NHL, and you don’t get enough time to think about it, because you’re just so dialed in, you’re so locked in. You’re playing games almost every other day. So, yeah, it’s crazy.”
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