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From skating to smarts Matthew Schaefer screams New York Islanders hockey

No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer was born to be a New York Islander, both on and off the ice
ByEmma Lingan|
Erie Otters defenseman Matthew Schaefer, right, controls the puck against the Kitchener Rangers at Erie Insurance Arena in Erie on Nov. 23, 2024.
Erie Otters defenseman Matthew Schaefer, right, controls the puck against the Kitchener Rangers at Erie Insurance Arena in Erie on Nov. 23, 2024. | GREG WOHLFORD/ERIE TIMES-NEWS / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

First-year general manager Mathieu Darche has said that he wants the New York Islanders to play at a higher pace, and that starts on the back end. Especially after the Islanders traded Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens, they needed to prioritize adding a defender who can provide a spark on the rush.

Enter No. 1 overall draft pick Matthew Schaefer. The 17-year-old, left-shot defenseman possesses elite speed and mobility, allowing him to push the pace with the puck through the neutral zone.

Schaefer has also been widely praised for his high hockey IQ and offensive upside. He creates a lot of scoring chances thanks to his skating – not to mention his ability to cover a lot of ground on the backcheck – but he also uses his size and physicality to close checks and make stops at a high level.

It will be interesting to see what happens with Schaefer this year, as he is only 17 years old and hardly a lock to make the Islanders' NHL roster out of training camp. But even if he doesn't make an immediate impact at the NHL level, the Islanders don't necessarily need him to. This is a pick for the future of the Islanders franchise, in more ways than one.

Matthew Schaefer's game, personality are tailor made for the New York Islanders

In Schaefer, the Islanders drafted an elite-skating blueliner who projects as a No. 1 defenseman at the NHL level. But they also may have drafted the next face of their franchise.

Schaefer's battles with injury and personal tragedy have given him wisdom and maturity beyond his years, making a tremendous impression on NHL teams and evaluators as they spoke with him throughout the scouting process. Combine that with his elite skating and defensive ability, and the Islanders may very well have just selected their future captain.

Darche said at the NHL Scouting Combine earlier this month that the Islanders were eyeing a franchise cornerstone with the No. 1 overall pick, "a player we want to play for a long time." In Schaefer, it appears that they have gotten just that.

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