Why Matthew Schaefer Is Running Away With the Calder Trophy

When the Islanders drafted Matthew Schaefer first overall inJune, there were big expectations, expectations that the18-year-old has absolutely blown out of the water in his first 60 NHL games. Because of this, the Islanders find themselves in a playoff push, and the outlook of the franchise is at its best in years.

Now it is unfair to say Matthew Schaefer is the sole reason for the Islanders' success this season, but he is certainly at the top of that list. Entering the season, Montreal's Ivan Demidov was the odds-on favorite to win the Calder Trophy, awarded to the league's best rookie. A season prior, 19-year-old Demidov joined the Habs ahead of the playoffs. In the final game of the regular season, Demidov scored his first NHL goal and added a helper in a win over the Blackhawks. In a losing series effort against the Washington Capitals, Demidov contributed with two assists. Entering the 2025-26 season, still his rookie season, the Calder Trophy seemed like it was his hardware to lose. Carolina's 24-year-old Russian blue liner, Alexander Nikishin, was considered to be a trailing favorite behind Demidov. Boston College product and now Washington Capitals winger Ryan Leonard also featured shorter odds to win the Calder than Schaefer.

But now, post-Olympics and within one week until the NHL’s trading deadline, Matthew Schaefer has entirely run away from the pack and is on cruise control to the Calder. In last night's 4-3 overtime win in Montreal, Schaefer outdueled Ivan Demidov in every aspect of play. Schaefer scored goals number 17 and 18 on the season, just seconds apart from each other, surpassing Hall of Famer Phil Housley for most goals by an 18-year-old defenseman. Schaefer’s 18 goals, along with his 23 helpers is good for third among all rookies, only trailing Demidov and Anaheim's Beckett Senecke, who are both forwards. Schaefer now just trails Brian Leetch’s all-time rookie defenseman goal-scoring record by five red lights. He has 23 games remaining to match the Rangers Hall of Famer’s feat. 

But the difference between Schaefer and his rookie pursuers is his 200-foot game and the team role he plays for the Islanders. Miraculously, at 18 years old, Schaefer is a No. 1 defenseman in the NHL. He is the best defenseman on the Islanders and completely drives play in all three zones for NY, something that even blue liners in their sixth and seventh NHL seasons still struggle to do. Schaefer has learned it in no time. Currently, Schaefer is averaging just over 24 minutes of ice time a night, good for 17th among all NHL skaters in that category. Minnesota’s Brock Faber ranks 7th in average time on ice per game. He will turn 24 in August, which is 60 months older than Schaefer. The contributions Schaefer puts in for the Islanders every night are incredible. Playing both on the power play and penalty kill, Schaefer anchors both Islanders special team units and runs 5 on 5 play. This season, Schaefer has skated 210 miles, which ranks sixth in the league. He is everywhere out there. When Schaefer goes, the Islanders go; the same would not be true to say about Demidov, per se.

Now, time on ice isn't the whole story, but impact plays tell you a lot about how much a player is willing their team along. Schaefer’s 18 goals rank 3rd in the league among defenseman behind only Jakob Chychrun and Zach Werenski. Of Schaefer’s 18 goals, four are game winners, including two that came in overtime. When the puck is on his stick in crunch time, he is consistently rising to the occasion, showing no signs of youth.

The role he plays for the Islanders in backing their blueline to the level has, at the age he is, just blown the seasons of respective rookie competitors out of the water. In just 60 games, Matthew Schaefer has shown he will be around for a long time and will rewrite the statistical columns forever. He should be adding his name to the Calder Trophy this summer.