Schaefer scored an even-strength goal and added a power-play assist in Friday's 4-3 shootout loss to the Flyers.
Schaefer ended his five-game point drought with an assist in a 3-1 loss to the Bruins on Wednesday. Now, he ended his six-game goal drought with a wrister at the 8:11 mark of the second period, giving him eight goals on the year. The frontrunner for the Calder Trophy, Schaefer has 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists) across 25 games this season while posting a solid plus-9 rating.
... See More... See Less
Islanders' Matthew Schaefer: Ends point drought Wednesday
Rotowire
Schaefer recorded an assist and fired seven shots on goal in Wednesday's 3-1 loss to the Bruins.
Schaefer picked up the secondary helper on a goal by Mathew Barzal. With the apple, the 18-year-old Schaefer has nine assists, 16 points, 71 shots on goal and 27 blocks through 24 games this season. Wednesday's performance helped him end a five-game point drought, and he collected his first assist since Nov. 13. Despite the recent lack of points, the No. 1 overall selection from the 2025 NHL Entry Draft is at the heart of the Calder Trophy conversation alongside Montreal's Ivan Demidov. Schaefer has developed a well-rounded campaign with a plethora of shots. The rookie blueliner is a must-start in fantasy thanks to his elite upside.
... See More... See Less
Islanders' Matthew Schaefer: Impressive start continues
Rotowire
Schaefer scored a power-play goal Thursday in a 6-2 loss to the Hurricanes.
Schaefer's goal came on a wrist shot from the left point through traffic. Schaefer continues to astound the league with his impressive skills, even though he just turned 18 at the start of September. Schaefer has three goals and five assists in 10 games with the Islanders. He has 31 shots, and four of his points, including two goals, have come with the man advantage.
... See More... See Less
Islanders' Matthew Schaefer: Scores in win over San Jose
Rotowire
Schaefer scored a goal and added an assist in Tuesday's 4-3 win over the Sharks.
The 18-year-old defenseman continues to turn heads with his play and extended his point streak to six games with his goal in the second period. Schaefer has two goals and five helpers through his first six games in the NHL. He has three points on the power play and has logged at least 20 minutes of ice time in four of his last five outings. The first overall pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft continues to impress, and it seems his role will only grow as the season progresses.
... See More... See Less
Islanders' Matthew Schaefer: Extends point streak to three games
Rotowire
Schaefer dished out an assist, had four shots on net and recorded a blocked shot in Monday's 5-2 loss to the Jets.
Schaefer's hot start to the season continued Monday as he tallied a secondary helper on Emil Heineman's goal late in the second period. With the assist, Schaefer has two helpers and a goal across his first three career games. The No. 1 overall selection in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft has been a spark for New York's offense despite the team's 0-3-0 record. He once again logged over 26 minutes of ice time, which will skyrocket his fantasy value if the trend continues. The Islanders' trust in Schaefer and his early involvement in the offensive zone make him worth a roster spot in almost all fantasy formats. He is one of the top waiver-wire candidates on all fantasy hockey platforms.
... See More... See Less
Islanders' Matthew Schaefer: Scores first career goal
Rotowire
Schaefer tallied a goal, had eight shots on net, and blocked a shot in Saturday's 4-2 loss to Washington.
The future of Long Island hockey has arrived, and his name is Matthew Schaefer. The No. 1 overall selection in the 2025 NHL Draft posted a breakout performance in just his second career game with solid category coverage. He stole the show in the third period, netting his first career goal on a power play. Not only was his stat line complete with eight shots and one block, but his ice time jumped from 17:15 to 26:04, a near nine-minute increase from his debut. The 18-year-old has seemed to gain more trust offensively with 2:40 of power-play time, which gives him a high ceiling for his rookie campaign. If Schaefer's first two games are any indication of what the rest of the season has in store for this year's top pick, he is set to be a great option on the fantasy blue line in all formats. Scoop him up off the waiver wire before it's too late.
... See More... See Less
Islanders' Matthew Schaefer: Earns assist in NHL debut
Rotowire
Schaefer recorded an assist in Thursday's 4-3 loss to the Penguins.
Schaefer set up Jonathan Drouin's goal at 12:02 of the first period. It's a positive start for the 2025 No. 1 pick, as Schaefer saw 17:15 of ice time in a third-pairing role. He's the lone youngster on the Islanders' blue line, but he could move up the ranks if he continues to play well. Any top pick will get attention in fantasy -- don't overlook Schaefer, as he should be productive on offense as long as he avoids head coach Patrick Roy's doghouse as a rookie.
... See More... See Less
Islanders' Matthew Schaefer: Set for NHL debut
Rotowire
Schaefer will make his NHL debut against Pittsburgh on Thursday, Stefen Rosner of NHL.com reports.
The Islanders selected Schaefer with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. He cracked the team's Opening Night roster out of training camp and should see some power-play action during his regular-season debut. The talented blueliner earned two assists and eight shots on goal in four outings during the Islanders' exhibition schedule.
