Matthew Schaefer is a Canadian defenceman for the New York Islanders, drafted first overall in 2025, one pick ahead of Michael Misa. He won the 2026 Calder Trophy as the NHL’s rookie of the year with every first-place vote, after a first season in which his 23 goals tied Brian Leetch’s record for a rookie defenceman.
| Fast facts: Matthew Schaefer | |
|---|---|
| Current team | New York Islanders |
| Position | Defence |
| Shoots | Left |
| Born | 5 September 2007, Hamilton, Ontario |
| Height / weight | 6’2″ / 186 lbs, per the Islanders |
| Drafted | 2025, first round, 1st overall, New York Islanders |
| Contract status | Three-year entry-level contract signed 4 August 2025, running through 2027-28 at a $986,250 cap hit from 2026-27 |
| Jersey | No. 48 |
How good is Matthew Schaefer?
Matthew Schaefer had one of the best rookie seasons ever by a defenceman. He won the Calder Trophy on 13 May 2026 with all 198 first-place votes, the first unanimous winner since Teemu Selanne in 1992-93, NHL.com reported. At 18 years and 223 days he was younger than any previous winner, one day younger than Nathan MacKinnon had been.
His 1,980 voting points were 822 more than the runner-up, Ivan Demidov of Montreal. He also made the NHL All-Rookie Team on all 194 ballots. “He plays 25 minutes a night like it’s nothing. It’s unbelievable. He’s a star in the making,” Islanders forward Kyle MacLean said.
What are Matthew Schaefer’s career stats?
Matthew Schaefer was the first pick in the 2023 OHL draft, taken by the Erie Otters. He was the third first-overall pick in Otters history, after Ryan O’Reilly in 2007 and Connor McDavid in 2012.
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs U15 | SCTA | 31 | 17 | 34 | 51 |
| 2022-23 | Halton Hurricanes U16 | SCTA | 25 | 12 | 20 | 32 |
| 2023-24 | Erie Otters | OHL | 56 | 3 | 14 | 17 |
| 2024-25 | Erie Otters | OHL | 17 | 7 | 15 | 22 |
| 2025-26 | New York Islanders | NHL | 82 | 23 | 36 | 59 |
He made the OHL’s First All-Rookie Team in 2023-24. In 2025-26 he played all 82 games, was plus-13 and averaged 24:41 of ice time, the most by an 18-year-old skater in NHL history according to The Hockey News. Eight of his 23 goals came on the power play, and he was named the NHL’s rookie of the month for October 2025.
What records did Matthew Schaefer set as a rookie?
Matthew Schaefer became the youngest defenceman in NHL history to record a point in his debut, with an assist against Pittsburgh on 9 October 2025, and he scored his first goal two days later against Washington. On 2 November 2025 he became the youngest defenceman with a multi-goal game, breaking a mark Bobby Orr had held, and on 14 November he became the youngest player at any position to score an overtime goal.
On 26 February 2026 he passed Phil Housley’s record for goals by an 18-year-old defenceman, and on 4 April he passed Housley’s record for points by an 18-year-old defenceman as well. His 23rd goal, on 9 April against Toronto, tied Leetch’s rookie-defenceman record from 1988-89, and his 59 points set the Islanders record for a rookie defenceman. They are not the NHL record for a rookie defenceman, which belongs to Larry Murphy, with 76 in 1980-81.
Why does Matthew Schaefer wear 48?
Matthew Schaefer wears No. 48 because of his older brother, Johnny, who wore it in honour of Danny Brière. “My brother picked 48 because of Brière, and then I picked it because of my brother,” he told Eyes on Isles. He was the first Islander to wear 48 since Connor Jones in 2016-17.
What is Matthew Schaefer’s contract?
Matthew Schaefer signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Islanders on 4 August 2025, worth $2,947,500 in total. The cap hit was $975,000 in 2025-26 and is $986,250 in 2026-27 and 2027-28, according to PuckPedia’s contract data. The deal expires after 2027-28, when he is due to become a restricted free agent.
Why is Matthew Schaefer not on Team Canada?
Canada left Matthew Schaefer off its team for the 2026 Winter Olympics and kept the eight defencemen it had used at the 4 Nations Face-Off. “We had very difficult decisions to make, and he was certainly one of them,” general manager Doug Armstrong said. Schaefer also did not play at the 2026 World Championship, and no reason was given.
His last tournament for Canada was the 2025 World Juniors, where he broke his collarbone against Latvia on 27 December 2024 when he crashed into the goal post, which ended his season. Before that he captained Ontario to gold at the 2023 Canada Winter Games, scoring the overtime winner in the final, and won gold at the 2023 World U-17 Hockey Challenge and the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, both as captain, and at the 2024 U18 World Championship.
Who are Matthew Schaefer’s parents?
Matthew Schaefer’s parents are Todd and Jennifer Schaefer. He lost his mother to breast cancer in February 2024, NHL.com has reported. A photo of her and her signature were stitched inside the jacket he wore on draft night, and in May 2026 the Islanders pledged $150,000 to open a child support centre in her honour. “I want to do it for my mum and my family,” he said after winning the Calder.
His brother Johnny, nine years older, played defence in the OHL for the Niagara IceDogs. In New York, Schaefer has lived with the family of former Islanders forward Matt Martin.
Where will Matthew Schaefer play in 2026-27?
Going into 2026-27 training camp, Matthew Schaefer was expected to play on the Islanders’ top defence pair and the first power-play unit, according to The Hockey News. The Islanders missed the playoffs in 2025-26 after replacing head coach Patrick Roy with Pete DeBoer in April, and Mathieu Darche is the general manager. The channels and streams for every Islanders game are in our guide to how to watch the New York Islanders.
Where is Matthew Schaefer from, and how tall is he?
Matthew Schaefer was born on 5 September 2007 in Hamilton, Ontario, and grew up in Stoney Creek, part of Hamilton. He came through the Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs and the Halton Hurricanes before joining Erie. The Islanders list him at 6’2″ and 186 lbs.
His 59 points are the most ever scored by a rookie defenseman in NHL history. His 23 goals tied Brian Leetch’s record, and his 24:41 average ice time is the most ever by an 18-year-old skater.
The number honors his mother, Jennifer Schaefer, who died of breast cancer in February 2024.
He spent his rookie season living with Islanders veteran Matt Martin and his family in New York.
Jennifer Schaefer died in February 2024 after an approximately two-year battle with breast cancer, during his rookie OHL season with Erie. He wore a tribute to her at the 2025 draft, and the Islanders pledged $150,000 in her honor during his rookie year.
He signed a three-year entry-level contract in July 2025 with a cap hit of $986,250, running through 2027-28.
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