Islanders’ Matthew Schaefer becomes youngest NHLer to score OT goal

Matthew Schaefer is barely 18, but the 2025 No. 1 overall pick is making a habit of making history.

The New York Islanders’ rookie defenseman became the youngest player in NHL history to score an overtime goal, giving the Islanders a 3-2 OT win against the Utah Mammoth.

Schaefer finished the night with a goal and two shot in 25:49 of ice time.

The 18-year-old now has seven goals and eight assists for 15 points, averaging 22:26 of ice time through 18 games in 2025-26. He leads all NHL blueliners in goals and is tied for fourth in points.

Earlier this year, Schaefer became the second-youngest defenseman to score a goal at 18 years, one month and six days.

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 are 10-6-2 with 22 points, fourth in the Metropolitan Division. Their next game is Sunday in Denver against the Colorado Avalanche.

On Friday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, host Tyler Yaremchuk and co-host and former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton were joined by Arthur Staple of The Athletic to discuss Schaefer’s start and what it means for New York’s bigger-picture outlook. 

You can watch the full segment and the rest of the episode below…