New York Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer is focusing on putting in hard work to make his opening night debut. Drafted first overall by the Islanders in 2025, Schaefer aims to play as long as he can and is working tirelessly to prepare.
The 17-year-old was part of the Islanders’ development camp, where he had the opportunity to meet new people and receive feedback from staff. He’s determined to improve his defensive zone game and work on specific areas such as walking the blue line.
Schaefer’s past experience playing for Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship was cut short when he broke his collarbone in December 2024, putting an end to his season with Erie in the Ontario Hockey League. Now, he’s taking part in a team practice outside of summer training, marking a significant step forward.
“I want to be on that opening night roster,” Schaefer said. “The staff here is amazing, and they’re giving us lots of feedback, which is what I wanted.” With his sights set on hard work and improvement, Schaefer is ready to take on the challenges of the NHL season.
Source: https://www.nhl.com/news/matthew-schaefer-skates-with-new-york-islanders-for-1st-time