Matthew Schaefer made history on Thursday when he became the youngest defenseman in NHL history to record 50 points. However, he was also called out by fans after blocking Lars Eller from getting off the ice when Eller lost his skate blade.
At 18 years and 195 days, Matthew Schaefer became the youngest defenseman in NHL history to tally 50 points on Thursday.
READ MORE: Wayne Gretzky’s honest words about Matthew Schaefer
Matthew Schaefer NHL record
He reached the milestone by scoring the 1–0 goal in the Islanders’ 3–2 loss to the Ottawa Senators. Alongside Phil Housley, Schaefer is the only 18-year-old defenseman in NHL history to reach the 50-point mark. Schaefer now has 21 goals and 29 assists in 69 games and is third in scoring among rookies. Only forwards Becket Senneke and Ivan Demidov are ahead of him.
But that was not all Matthew Schaefer did on Thursday.
Schaefer is now facing criticism from fans. In the third period, when the game was tied 2–2, Senators forward Lars Eller lost his skate blade. As he tried to get off the ice, Schaefer skated in front of him, blocking his path to the bench. Fans are now calling Schaefer’s actions unsportsmanlike.
Fans call out Schaefer
“Shaefs is an amazing player, but c’mon—that should have been a penalty for interference,” one fan wrote on X.
“It is sad. I like the kid, but this might say something about what kind of person he is. This is an unsportsmanlike act,” another wrote.
“Big loser vibes. Trolling doesn’t belong in hockey, even if it gets laughs,” a third chimed in.
Next up, the Islanders will play the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday.
You can watch Schaefer’s move below.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Matthew Schaefer
