NY Islanders top overall pick Matthew Schaefer makes NHL history again

It took Matthew Schaefer just two games to make history — again. Two nights after becoming the youngest defenseman in NHL history to record a point in his debut, the 18-year-old New York Islanders blueliner added another line to the record book by scoring his first NHL goal on Saturday night against the Washington Capitals at UBS Arena.

At 18 years and 36 days old, Schaefer became the youngest defenseman to score an NHL goal since Ross Johnstone did so for the Toronto Maple Leafs on February 29, 1944 — a staggering 81 years ago. In the modern era, no defenseman has come close.

Schaefer also became the fifth-youngest player in the last 50 years to score an NHL goal, joining an elite group that includes Aleksander Barkov (18 years, 31 days), Jordan Staal (18 years, 32 days), Patrick Marleau (18 years, 34 days), and former Islander Nino Niederreiter (18 years, 35 days). It’s a list that underscores both Schaefer’s talent and the trust the Islanders’ coaching staff already has in him. Also, the fact that he skated over 26 minutes TOI —the seventh player in NHL history to do so in one of their first two NHL games.

Trailing 4-1 in the third period, the Islanders were on the power play when a scramble for a loose puck ensued in the Capitals' crease. Schaefer showed his instincts, rushed the net, and poked the puck in as he slid toward the crowded crease. The rookie got up, skated toward the glass and leaped up before taking a mini-lap around his own zone. The Capitals ended up reviewing the play for a hand pass, but after a lengthy review, Schaefer's history-making goal stood. In doing so, he also became the youngest player in NHL history to ever score a power-play goal.

The Islanders ended up losing the game 4-2, but in many ways, fans got what they came to see, further evidence that their No. 1 overall pick has the makings of a star. Two games. Two milestones. And, suddenly, the question isn’t whether Schaefer can play in the NHL — it’s how high his ceiling might be.