You may as well hand the Calder Trophy to Matthew Schaefer already

Nobody predicted Matthew Schaefer would be tied for the lead in points for the New York Islanders alongside Bo Horvat after six games. Schaefer now has seven points and two goals on the year, and in Tuesday night's win over the San Jose Sharks, he became the youngest blueliner in league history to score a game-winner.

It's becoming a foregone conclusion that, if Schaefer stays healthy, the Calder Trophy is his. Do the math, and if Schaefer plays in all 82 contests, he's on pace to put up between 95 and 96 points. And compare that number to Lane Hutson, who won the Calder in 2024-25. Hutson impressed everyone, yet he finished the year with six goals and 66 points.

And as good as Hutson will be for the Montreal Canadiens, early returns show that Schaefer will be even better. He already set several NHL records, and it's only been six games, like being the youngest blueliner to record a point in his debut, and the youngest player to cross the 25-minute mark in a game.

Also, in Tuesday's win, Schaefer became the youngest player in the history of the New York Islanders to put up multiple points in a single game. All of these accomplishments will lead you to ask the burning question: If Schaefer played a full season in Erie in 2024-25, would he have been mentioned in the same sentence as Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini?

No other rookie in the NHL is coming close to Matthew Schaefer

Schaefer won't see his name etched on the Calder Trophy until after the season ends, but right now, no other rookie is even coming close to him. And even if he doesn't end up with the highest points total among rookie players, we need to remember that he's putting up these gaudy statistics as a defenseman, and that alone gives him more value than if a forward were on the same pace. 

Blueliner is a much harder position to master at the NHL level, but Schaefer has more than taken the challenge with ease. And, really, if he keeps up this monstrous pace, not only will he guarantee himself the Calder, but his impact could also put the Islanders in contention. Something nobody would have guessed this season.

Matthew Schaefer could contend for more than the Calder

Schaefer also tied Marek Zidlicky with at least one point in six straight games for a defenseman to begin a career in Tuesday's win. Zidlicky accomplished the feat in 2003-04 with the Nashville Predators, but he was in his age-26 season at the time.

Zidlicky went on to enjoy a successful NHL career, which he ironically ended with the Islanders in his age-38 campaign. While Zidlicky didn't win the Calder that season, he did finish in the top 15 for the Norris Trophy, given to the best defenseman in hockey.

Could Schaefer contend for the Norris, even? Right now, it's premature to think he will get serious consideration, but go back to Lane Hutson. Hutson took ninth for the Norris, so it's not impossible that Schaefer would be in the running. But if he keeps up his current pace, he will land in the top five for the Norris.