Matthew Schaefer has a real shot at a once-considered unbreakable record

Matthew Schaefer has been nothing short of electric to start his NHL career. He has quickly become one of the faces of the Islanders organization, with his strong play turning the team into a fringe contender. He also seems to tie or break an NHL record weekly. It seems like the beginning of a truly special NHL career. But Schaefer is closing in on what would be his most impressive accomplishment to date. He is only 63 points behind Phil Housley for most points scored by a teenager. Can this be something Schaefer does?

What will Matthew Schaefer have to do to break this record

If Schaefer were to break Housley record, it would have to happen this season. He is currently 19 years old and will turn 20 on September 2nd of next year. A couple of weeks before the start of the NHL season, making next year his first non-teenage season. So this season is his last shot at breaking Housley record. This will not be an easy task, as the margin for error is slim. One prolonged scoring drought and his bid to break the record will end.

While it seems like a bit of a long shot, if there were any player to do it, it's Schaefer. Throughout his NHL career, he has averaged a little under a point per game. Which is impressive for a defenseman. But this season Schaefer has been even more productive. He has logged 11 points through 12 games this season. At this rate, he is on pace to score around 83 points this season. That's 20 points more than what he needs to break the record.

Schaefer will also have ample opportunities to keep this hot streak going. The Islanders are getting him on the ice as much as possible this season. He is currently averaging a team-high 26:43 time on ice. In their most recent game against the Predators, he played a staggering 32:16 of ice time and became the first player in NHL history to play the entire five-minute overtime. Schaefer is not afraid to take on high-minute counts, and the Isles seem comfortable with it too.

This is exactly what Schaefer needs in order to have a shot at breaking this record. This will keep him in a position to generate points and create scoring opportunities. If he continues to play nearly 30 minutes a night, he can easily have many multi-point outings. This will give him a better shot at breaking the record and cover if he goes through a cold streak. It is the type of performance he needs to put in to break the record.

While it may seem like a long shot to some, Schaefer has a solid chance at breaking the all-time point record for a teenager. His production and the amount of time he spends on the ice make him a real threat.

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