Matthew Schaefer

18-Year-Old DefensemanD

New York Islanders

2024 Stats

G

0

A

0

PP Pts

0

+/-

0

PIM

0

2025 Projections

G

A

PP Pts

+/-

PIM

Unlock Our Projections

2025 Fantasy Outlook

The Islanders traded Noah Dobson to Montreal, but on the same day, New York used the No. 1 overall pick on Schaefer, who they hope will become his replacement. The youngster is a fantastic skater who can intelligently utilize that strength to play a strong two-way game. The defenseman missed most of 2024-25 due to a combination of a broken collarbone and mononucleosis, but he impressed when healthy, recording seven goals and 22 points across 17 regular-season outings with OHL Erie. With Dobson gone, Schaefer might enter 2025-26 as part of the Islanders' top four and play regularly with the man advantage. A 40-plus point rookie campaign isn't out of the question, but there is an element of risk when it comes to counting on a teenage defenseman to jump seamlessly from the junior level to the NHL, especially after missing most of his draft year. Read Past Outlooks

#

Subscriber-Only

Overall

#

Subscriber-Only

Defenseman

#

Subscriber-Only

Prospect

Shoots Left

Height 6'2"

DOB 9/5/2007

Born Hamilton, Canada

Drafted 1st Rd, #1 Overall in 2025

NYI

Two more helpers Monday

DNew York Islanders

January 20, 2026

Schaefer recorded two assists in Monday's 4-3 win over the Canucks.

ANALYSIS
Schaefer has posted two assists in back-to-back games, and the 18-year-old continues to make a strong candidacy to win the Calder Trophy. He's cracked the scoresheet in six of his nine outings since the beginning of January, tallying nine points, a plus-1 rating, 16 shots, four hits and nine blocked shots. The 18-year-old blueliner ranks third in points among rookies with 34, trailing only Ivan Demidov and Beckett Sennecke.

Read More News

NHL Stats

Loading Skater Stats...

2025

2025 NHL Game Log

Calculate Stats Over Time

Just click on any two dates.

Scoring

FanDuel

DraftKings

Yahoo DFS

FantasyDraft

Head2Head

Loading Skater Game Log...

2024–25 Time On Ice Stats

Ice Time

Power Play

Short-Handed

2025–26

24:03

3:18

1:16

Islanders Depth Chart

Our full team depth charts are reserved for RotoWire subscribers.

Subscribe Now

Islanders Power Play Depth Chart

Our full team depth charts are reserved for RotoWire subscribers.

Subscribe Now

Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Matthew Schaefer See More

NHL DFS Picks: DraftKings Top Plays and Strategy for Monday, January 19

NHL DFS Picks: DraftKings Top Plays and Strategy for Monday, January 19

2 days ago

2 days ago

Monday's top NHL DFS options on DraftKings include power-play maven Pavel Dorofevey as the Vegas Golden Knights host the Philadelphia Flyers.

Frozen Fantasy: Midseason Surprises

Frozen Fantasy: Midseason Surprises

2 days ago

2 days ago

While you may be surprised by how some NHL teams have done so far, you shouldn't be shocked to select any of the suggested waiver selections.

The Week Ahead: Marner Returns to Toronto

The Week Ahead: Marner Returns to Toronto

3 days ago

3 days ago

Get the inside scoop on NHL action Jan. 19-25 as Mitch Marner makes his return to Toronto for the first time with the Vegas Golden Knights.

NHL DFS: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Saturday, January 17

NHL DFS: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Saturday, January 17

4 days ago

4 days ago

There's a bunch of Pittsburgh veterans to add to your Saturday DraftKings NHL DFS lineups.

Expert NHL Betting Picks Today: Thursday, January 15

Expert NHL Betting Picks Today: Thursday, January 15

6 days ago

6 days ago

Expert NHL picks & best bets for Islanders vs Oilers & Maples vs Golden Knights — get insights, odds, props & parlay ideas to win big this Thursday night!

More Fantasy News

NYI

Two helpers in Saturday's loss

DNew York Islanders

January 18, 2026

Schaefer pocketed two assists in Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Flames.

ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.

NYI

Scores late goal in loss

DNew York Islanders

January 13, 2026

Schaefer scored a goal in Tuesday's 5-4 loss to the Jets.

ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.

NYI

Cleared to play

DNew York Islanders

January 6, 2026

Schaefer (illness) will be in the lineup versus the Devils on Tuesday, Stefen Rosner of NHL.com reports.

ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.

NYI

Game-time call Tuesday

DNew York Islanders

Illness

January 5, 2026

Schaefer (illness) will be a game-time decision against New Jersey on Tuesday, Stefen Rosner of NHL.com reports.

ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.

NYI

Dealing with illness

DNew York Islanders

Illness

January 5, 2026

Schaefer will not practice Monday due to an illness.

ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.

Latest Fantasy Rumors

NYI

Participating in morning skate

DNew York Islanders

January 6, 2026

Schaefer, who is a game-time call against the Devils on Tuesday due to an illness, was on the ice for an optional game-day skate, Stefen Rosner of NHL.com reports.

ANALYSIS
Schaefer seems to be trending in the right direction to play versus New Jersey, but he hasn't been officially given the green light yet. In his last three outings, the 18-year-old blueliner has racked up three goals and one assist, including a pair of power-play points. Schaefer is currently the favorite to take home the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie, but he will need to continue producing at a top level to keep it that way.

See All NHL Rumors