NY Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer named a finalist for the Calder Trophy

Today, during the NHL Lottery, the league has named Matthew Schaefer a finalist for the Calder Trophy, awarded to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League.

Rounding out the top three are Beckett Sennecke of the Anaheim Ducks and Ivan Demidov of the Montreal Canadiens.

Schaefer named a finalist for Rookie of the Year

With his first NHL game coming just a month after his 18th birthday, Schaefer quickly took the league by storm. Earning his first point during the first period of his first game, he then recorded his first goal during his first game in front of a crowd at UBS Arena.

It seemed like every night Schaefer took the ice, he was breaking some sort of record. He broke Phil Housley's 43-year record for most points for an 18-year-old defenseman (57), finishing the season with 59.

On April 9, against his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs, Schaefer tied Brian Leetch for the most goals in a season with 22 - a record the two now share.

Though the voting is complete, we won't know the results until the NHL Awards, which typically take place at the same time as the Stanley Cup Finals. Any outcome other than Schaefer being awarded the Calder Trophy would be a shock, with the odds being more likely that he is named a unanimous winner.

Though the Islanders 2% chance at winning the lottery didn't play in their favor, it was still a great night to see Schaefer recognized for his achievements this season.

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