NY Islanders' Matthew Schaefer bulked up for an even better sophomore season

Matthew Schaefer didn't exactly need a long list of things to fix after his rookie season. But there was one area where a 19-year-old playing against grown men every night was always going to have room to grow.

Schaefer told ESPN's John Buccigross in Vegas that he's currently weighing 198 pounds, a significant jump after entering training camp last season around 186. Schaefer obviously isn't going to play the season at his summer weight, but putting roughly 12 pounds onto his already prototype frame says plenty about what he prioritized this offseason.

"I will always have the highest expectations," Schaefer said. "Last year was good, but I think I can be even better this year [...] I've gotten bigger, stronger, and faster. And I put on some weight, which was awesome."

That's a somewhat scary thought considering what Schaefer already accomplished without having a fully developed NHL body.

The Islanders defenseman scored 23 goals and finished with 59 points as a rookie, ultimately winning the Calder Trophy. He did all of that while still being one of the youngest players in the league and learning what it takes physically to survive an 82-game NHL schedule.

The added strength should matter in areas that aren't going to make Schaefer's highlight reel, too. Winning battles along the boards, separating forwards from pucks, defending the front of the net and simply holding up physically as the season gets into February and March.

And that's really the next evolution for Schaefer. Nobody needs him to become a bruising, stay-at-home defenseman. His skating and offensive instincts are what make him special. The goal is adding strength without sacrificing any of it.

At 6-foot-2 with elite skating ability, Schaefer already had the prototype frame.

Now he's beginning to fill it out. And after what he did at 18 and 186 pounds, seeing what a bigger and stronger Schaefer looks like in Year two should be pretty exciting for the Islanders.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow