NY Islanders D Matthew Schaefer cracks List of top 10 Norris Trophy candidates

Matthew Schaefer has only one NHL season behind him, but expectations for the New York Islanders defenseman are already reaching Norris Trophy territory.

Matt Larkin of the Daily Faceoff ranked Schaefer seventh among its top 10 Norris Trophy candidates for the 2026-27 season, placing the 19-year-old alongside some of the most accomplished defensemen in hockey. The list includes Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, Lane Hutson, Zach Werenski, Rasmus Dahlin and Evan Bouchard ahead of him.

That is a remarkable place for Schaefer to be entering his sophomore season.

As an 18-year-old rookie, Schaefer tied Brian Leetch’s NHL record for goals by a rookie defenseman with 23. Daily Faceoff also noted that Schaefer was an elite offensive play driver while still grading above average defensively despite facing some of the league’s toughest competition.

Larkin called Schaefer “superhuman” and pointed to his intelligence, speed, goal-scoring ability and leadership as reasons he is already viewed as the Islanders’ franchise player. The outlet also suggested that while a sophomore slump can never be ruled out, Schaefer may be more likely to take another major step and push toward becoming a Norris finalist.

The Norris race is as crowded as ever, with more than a handful of elite defensemen capable of receiving serious consideration in any given season. Yet Schaefer is already part of that conversation after just one year.

We will he win the award this year? Probably not. Be a finalist? Unlikely. But the fact that he is already being discussed as a legitimate candidate shows just how high his ceiling appears to be.

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