Matt Martin reveals if NY Islanders star will live with his family again this season

Matthew Schaefer will once again live with Matt Martin and his family this season, continuing a relationship that quickly became meaningful both on and off the ice.

Martin revealed the arrangement during a recent interview with SiriusXM, saying Schaefer connected almost immediately with his family after arriving on Long Island.

“From the moment he kind of stepped in our house and met our family before it was ever decided that he was going to live with us, you just feel the type of kid he is, the type of energy he has,” Martin said.

That connection became especially important after Martin retired. For years, Martin’s children went to Islanders games to watch their father. Now, Schaefer has become the player they closely follow from the glass. “They’re watching him now,” Martin said. “He’s giving them pucks in warm-ups, like I used to.” Martin said his children still support the entire team, but Schaefer has given them someone specific to connect with in the same way they once did with their father.

Martin said Schaefer recently attended his hockey camp, where young players immediately gravitated toward him. “The place was going bananas for him,” Martin said. “He does his best to give everyone the time of day.” Martin described Schaefer as “one of a kind,” pointing to both his personality and his ability to connect with children.

For the Islanders, those qualities only add to the excitement surrounding Schaefer’s future. “You combine that with the type of player he is, and the Islanders have something special for a long time,” Martin said. Schaefer’s place in Martin’s home may have started as a practical living arrangement for a young player adjusting to the NHL, but it has clearly become much more than that.

And this season, that relationship will continue.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow