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Islanders’ Matthew Schaefer is living up to star billing – and so much more

Steven Ellis
Steven Ellis(sellishockey)
Oct 27, 2025, 11:30 EDTUpdated: Oct 27, 2025, 10:07 EDT
Islanders’ Matthew Schaefer is living up to star billing – and so much more
Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

It’s hard to be an 18-year-old NHL defenseman.

Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, Lane Hutson, Zach Werenski and Adam Fox were all in college at that age. It took Thomas Harley and Evan Bouchard some time to become everyday players. MacKenzie Weegar barely looked like an NHL-caliber prospect at the time.

But New York Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer is making it look so damn easy.

Phil Housley’s 66-point season in 1982-83 is the golden standard of what an 18-year-old blueliner is capable of. In more recent memory, Rasmus Dahlin (44 points in 2018-19), and Aaron Ekblad (39 in 2014-15) are the only defenders to crack 30 points. With seven points in nine games, Schaefer is on pace for 72 – which would not only be the most productive season by a defenseman his age, but one of the best outputs by a defenseman over the past decade, period.

Is it sustainable? Probably not. But he’s giving himself plenty of wiggle room to slack off a bit and still be one of the most productive first-year rearguards we’ve ever seen.

Data from NHL EDGE

Between tournament action and the OHL regular season, Schaefer only played 30 games last year. Given how hard it is for someone his age to step into the NHL right away, the limited ice time last season should have made this one of the slowest transitions we’ve seen in quite a while. Instead? Complete opposite. Schaefer is playing some of the most impressive hockey from a rookie in decades.

It’s a small sample size. We’ll see how he handles the grind of a full 82-game front. But there hasn’t been an obstacle too daunting for the former Erie Otters star.

Most NHL scouts knew Schaefer would be a star. He has all the traits of a successful, modern-day defender. His hockey sense is off the charts, he’s as mobile as they come and he has the puck skills to decimate goaltenders. Schaefer shines when given more responsibilities, and it helps that he’s as calm as you’ll find. Nothing seems to faze him.

It’s hard to be a rookie defenseman at his age. A young forward can lean on his other two linemates to help pick up the slack. As a defender, you’re typically more vulnerable. It’s why even some draft picks take time to develop.

It’s not the 1980s anymore. Defenders can’t be successful by simply getting in the way. They need to contribute with and without the puck – something the likes of Makar, Hughes and Hutson do better than anyone. Schaefer is absolutely in that conversation now. He’s always scanning and looking to make the right play, and he can dominate offensively without sacrificing his defensive game.

Schaefer’s exceptional mobility allows him to transition seamlessly in any direction, driving his offensive attack. He routinely rushes the puck with high-end speed, leveraging his elite hockey sense to let the play develop around him. Constantly moving, he aggressively looks to make plays at both ends of the ice. With the awareness and poise of a veteran, he’s tailor-made to be a top unit power-play quarterback – something he’s doing already. When you pair this elite-level skating with some of the best hands and decision-making available, you get as close to a perfect modern defenseman as you’ll find.

Schaefer’s willingness to aggressively attack and take away space makes him an excellent transition defender who consistently shuts down plays in the neutral zone. Doing that against teenagers is one thing, but Schaefer has done it against the likes of Matvei Michkov, Dylan Larkin, Macklin Celebrini, Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid.

“There isn’t a challenge he doesn’t seem fit for,” said one scout. “He’s forcing opponents to challenge his partners instead because they can’t get a read on how to beat him.”

Don’t get it twisted – Schaefer has had his share of ups and downs. He makes mistakes – a few every game. Patience will come with experience, but he’s already further along there than most defenders you’ll find.

You can’t teach confidence. You can’t teach elite-level hockey sense. Schaefer has both of those in spades. Scouts have always applauded Schaefer for making quick, smart decisions. He can break plays out all on his own – something that scouts didn’t think would be easily translatable in the NHL. From the get-go, even during the preseason, Schaefer hasn’t backed down in a battle. The Detroit Red Wings recently found that out.

You never want to overhype someone. The sample size is minuscule, but Schaefer has been a bright spot for a team that hasn’t had many in quite some time. Schaefer might not have gotten the same hype as Connor Bedard or Macklin Celebrini, but missing half a season didn’t help his case. Now, he’s laying it all on the line against the best players in the world.

The Islanders could have easily sent him back to Erie to get 25 minutes a night, or even sent him to college to get stronger. But sometimes, the best education can be found on the battlefield – a head-on collision with danger. Schaefer’s teammates, coaches and just about everyone who followed him the past half-decade know how fearless he is.

It’s way too early to compare Schaefer’s long-term trajectory to someone like Makar or Hughes. But comparing him to others his age over history – there isn’t a single other 18-year-old defender in the NHL – it’s about as impressive a start as we’ve ever seen.

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