Unanimous Calder winner Matthew Schaefer adds NHL All-Rookie team recognition

f there was a 99% chance that Matthew Schaefer was going to win the Calder Trophy, there was a 100% chance he was going to make the NHL All-Rookie Team.

On Friday, the NHL made it official.

The New York Islanders superstar defenseman was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team after one of the most remarkable rookie seasons by a defenseman in league history. At this point, the honor feels less like news and more like another item being checked off a list of accomplishments from a season that rewrote record books.

After all, Schaefer didn't just win the Calder Trophy. He won it unanimously, receiving all 198 first-place votes from the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

That alone tells you everything you need to know.

The 18-year-old finished the season with 23 goals and 59 points in 82 games, tying Brian Leetch's long-standing record for goals by a rookie defenseman. He also established NHL records for points by an 18-year-old defenseman, average ice time by an 18-year-old skater at 24:41 per game, and overtime points by a teenage defenseman.

Not surprisingly, he shattered several franchise rookie records along the way.

The All-Rookie Team recognition also places Schaefer in exclusive company. He becomes just the fifth player in Islanders history to earn the honor, joining David Volek, John Tavares, Michael Grabner and Mathew Barzal.

The rest of the All-Rookie Team includes Jakub Dobes, Alexander Nikishin, Jimmy Snuggerud, Ivan Demidov and Beckett Sennecke.

For Schaefer, though, this honor feels inevitable.

The real question isn't whether he'll make another All-Rookie Team.

It's how many All-Star teams, Norris Trophy ballots and postseason awards will follow. Based on what Islanders fans witnessed this season, this is likely just the beginning.

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