2025 first overall pick Matthew Schaefer scores first NHL goal

It didn’t take long for the 2025 No. 1 overall pick to score is first-career NHL goal.

New York Islanders’ defenseman Matthew Schaefer took a shot from the point that led to a scramble in front of the Washington Capitals’ net, with last summer’s top pick storming the crease and forcing a loose puck past Capitals’ goaltender Logan Thompson, giving Schaefer the first goal of his professional career.

Schaefer is now the second-youngest defenseman in NHL history to score a goal at 18 years, one month and six days, according to Sportsnet’s stat department.

Through two NHL games, Schaefer now has one goal and one assist for two points, averaging 21:40 of ice time.

Schaefer, a native of Hamilton, Ont., came out of junior with plenty of talent and hype, despite only playing 73 career regular-season games. In parts of two seasons, the 6-foot-2 defender posted 10 goals and 29 assists for 39 points.

Daily Faceoff prospect analyst Steven Ellis wrote this about Schaefer last June:

“There isn’t a better, more deceptive skater on the blueline in this draft class, with his mobility being among the best we’ve seen in recent draft classes,” Ellis wrote. “Schaefer is as good of a puck distributor as you’ll find, too … that’s partly because he thinks that game is at such an advanced level at his age, often luring opponents in before pulling off a deceptive deke and getting the puck where it needs to be.”

The Islanders lost Saturday’s game against the Capitals 4-2, with Washington forward Aliaksei Protas finishing with a goal and an assist.