Mar 28, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (48) skates against the Florida Panthers during the first period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The San Jose Sharks just made their young franchise forward, Macklin Celebrini, a very rich man — and now New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer has a legitimate comp to bring to management when it is time to talk about his next deal.
The Sharks signed Celebrini to a five-year extension worth a total of $94 million on Wednesday and an annual average of $18.8 million. It makes him the highest-paid player in the NHL, though that figure will likely be eclipsed with the league’s growing salary cap.
Celebrini had a monster second season in the pros, recording 115 points — the third-most by a teenager in NHL history behind Wayne Gretzky’s 137 in 1979-80 and Sidney Crosby’s 120 in 2006-07.
Here on the East Coast, Schaefer’s representatives are obviously taking note of Celebrini’s lucrative contract. The 18-year-old blue liner is coming off a historic rookie season in which he won the Calder Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL’s top rookie.
He tied the league record for most goals by a rookie defenseman with 23 — originally set by Brian Leetch in 1988-89 — to go with 36 assists for 59 total points, while quickly embedding himself as the cornerstone of the Islanders’ franchise.
He is under contract with New York for the next two years before becoming a restricted free agent following the 2027-28 season.
Both Schaefer and his agent will get an even better idea of what he is worth next summer if two of the game’s top defensemen, Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar, hit free agency. Both of their contracts are set to expire at the end of the 2026-27 campaign.
Bowen Byram of the Chicago Blackhawks currently holds the record for the highest-paid defenseman in NHL history after inking a six-year extension on July 1 that will pay him an average of $12.5 million per season.
Hughes, Makar, and Schaefer’s next contracts will blow that figure out of the water.
For more on Matthew Schaefer and the Islanders, visit AMNY.com