NY Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer receives honor after record breaking October

It should be the first of many honors to come.

The NHL announced Thursday that Matthew Schaefer has been named Rookie of the Month for October, capping off one of the most jaw-dropping starts to a career we’ve ever seen on Long Island.

In his first 11 NHL games, the 18-year-old blueliner racked up eight points (three goals, five assists) while logging a rookie-best 22:21 of ice time per game. He led all first-year players in shots on goal (33) and power-play goals (two) — and, among all defensemen in the league, he’s tied for the lead in power-play goals and sits in the top 10 in points. That’s not just good for an 18-year-old; that’s good, period.

Schaefer’s early impact has already landed him among some elite company.

He’s just the second defenseman in NHL history to record at least eight points as an 18-year-old through 11 games, joining Hall of Famer Phil Housley. He’s also one of only four 18-year-old defensemen since 1984 to score three goals in a single month — names like Rasmus Dahlin and Aaron Ekblad keep him in rare air.

The milestones have piled up fast. Schaefer scored his first NHL goal just two days into his career and became the youngest defenseman ever to score a power-play goal. Then came the record-setting six-game point streak, the longest ever to start an NHL career by any 18-year-old player. And when he scored the game-winner against San Jose on October 21, he became the youngest defenseman in league history to do so.

This marks the first time an Islander has earned Rookie of the Month honors since Mathew Barzal in 2018 — and the first defenseman in franchise history to do it.