Pressure now on Schaefer to prove he’s no one-hit wonder

To no one’s surprise, New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer won the Calder Trophy hands down, the NHL announced on Thursday.

Schaefer became the first unanimous winner in over 30 years, and, well, again, that was nothing surprising. In the process, Schaefer also became the youngest winner ever of the NHL’s Rookie of the Year Award.

And so, the pressure is now on. In particular, the pressure is on to prove he’s no flash in the pan. In fact, when you do down the list of former Calder winners, some major superstars jump off the screen. For instance, Cale Makar won the Calder in 2020, as did Aaron Ekblad in 2015.

The list of winners, however, shows some defenseman who didn’t quite reach superstar status. For example, Tyler Myers won in 2010, as did Barret Jackman in 2003. It’s not that Myers or Jackman turned out to be busts.

It’s just that they never achieved Makar-like status.

Aside from recent winners like Moritz Seider and Lane Hutson, Makar really stands out as the gold standard for Schaefer to emulate. It’s a big gold standard, but that’s the ceiling that Schaefer projects.

Plus, it wouldn’t be a crazy idea to think that Schaefer could surpass what Makar has accomplished thus far.

The sophomore jinx is very real. Some players have a fantastic first-year and then recede in their second season. That’s why the pressure is on for Schaefer to elevate his game. The offensive numbers will appear to be there.

Maintaining the high level he’s shown will depend on consistency and hard work. Since there’s nothing to suggest otherwise, Matthew Schaefer figures to be another member of the NHL’s next generation of elite defensemen.

Schaefer and Hutson pull off uncommon feat

Matthew Schaefer and last year’s winner, Lane Hutson, pulled off an uncommon feat. Hutson’s Calder win in 2025 and Schaefer’s achievement in 2026 mark the first time since 1963 and 1964 that defensemen have won the Calder in back-to-back years.

It’s certainly surprising when thinking about all of the great blueliners who have played throughout the years. While three defensemen have won the Calder in the last five years, no blueliners have won in consecutive years, until now.

So, it remains to be seen when the next time NHL defensemen will win the Calder in back-to-back years. Next year’s rookie class could see Lane Hutson’s brother, Cole, become a potential candidate. It also remains unclear if any of the top players from the 2026 NHL Draft will jump into the NHL next season.

As such, it may be a while before we see defensemen win the Calder in back-to-back years.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow