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CTV News
3 hours ago
- Sport
- CTV News
Hamilton-born Matthew Schaefer selected first overall at the 2025 NHL draft
Matthew Schaefer, left, stands with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman after being drafted by the New York Islanders during the NHL hockey draft Friday, June 27, 2025, in Los Angeles. Matthew Schaefer stood up after his name was called. The emotion of moment was too much. Thinking about the person he wished more than anything could be by his side overwhelmed the 17-year-old defenceman. His tears flowed soon after. The New York Islanders did the expected Friday, selecting Schaefer with the first pick at the 2025 NHL draft. His big moment just steps from Arena — home of the Los Angeles Kings — was also tinged with a level of sadness. The teenager's mother, Jennifer, died of breast cancer in February 2024. Schaefer, who spent two seasons with the Ontario Hockey League's Erie Otters, kissed the cancer awareness ribbon on his Islanders jersey after pulling it on, pointed to the sky and then broke down. 'I couldn't control the tears … thinking about my mom a little extra today,' said the Hamilton native. 'I know she'd be very proud. I'd love her to be here in person. But obviously cancer sucks, so she's with me in spirit. 'I know she's not suffering and she's happy, smiling down and always with me.' Schaefer had been viewed as the slam-dunk top selection for months despite not playing since December after suffering a broken collar bone while suiting up for Canada at the world junior hockey championship. His mother's passing came three months after his billet mom was struck and killed by a train in what was ruled death by suicide. Schaefer then was rocked during the world juniors when mentor and Otters owner Jim Waters died of a heart attack in December. The six-foot-two, 186-pound blueliner with elite skill at both ends of the rink joins an organization that was busy in the hours before calling his name first inside the Peacock Theater. The Islanders traded defenceman Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for forward Emil Heineman and the 16th and 17th overall picks. The San Jose Sharks then took forward Michael Misa second overall. Once the hands-down presumptive first pick in 2025, the six-foot-one, 182-pound centre from Oakville, Ont., led the entire Canadian Hockey League in goals (62) and points (134) in 2024-25 playing for the OHL's Saginaw Spirit. 'It was awesome,' Misa said. 'Just a moment of relief, excitement, a little emotional with my family — they've meant so much to me and supported me.' The Chicago Blackhawks selected Swedish forward Anton Frondell at No. 3. The six-foot-one, 204-pound centre had 25 points in 29 regular-season games playing against men in Sweden's second division this season with Djurgardens. Caleb Desnoyers went fourth overall to the Utah Mammoth. The centre for Moncton of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League took home the circuit's playoff MVP honours after putting up nine goals and 21 assists in 19 games, helping the Wildcats reach the Memorial Cup. The St-Hyacinthe, Que., product also won the Mike Bossy Trophy as the league's top professional prospect. 'I had a great feeling with them,' Desnoyers said of the Mammoth. 'Heard a lot of great things.' The Nashville Predators then picked Brady Martin to round out the top-5. Instead of being in Los Angeles for the draft, the centre for the OHL's Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds was back home working on his family farm in Elora, Ont. The Philadelphia Flyers took forward Porter Martone of the OHL's Brampton Steelheads sixth overall before the Boston Bruins picked Boston College centre James Hagens at No. 7. Jake O'Brien of the OHL's Brantford Bulldogs landed eighth to the Seattle Kraken, Radim Mrtka of the Western Hockey League's Seattle Thunderbirds went ninth to the Buffalo Sabres and Roger McQueen of the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings joined the Anaheim Ducks at No. 10. The 2025 showcase event marks the NHL's first decentralized draft in a non-pandemic environment — a format similar to the NFL and NBA where teams make selections remotely instead of all being in the same venue on-site. No decision has been made on how the draft will look next year, but deputy commissioner Bill Daly said earlier Friday the vote in favour of decentralization among teams this time around was 26-6. Celebrities and special guests named each pick after Schaefer, including actor Adam Sandler, who announced Hagens going to the Bruins. 'One of the coolest moments I've ever had,' Hagens said. 'It's something that doesn't feel real.' There were, however, some hiccups. Players entered the so-called 'NHL Draft Room' after getting picked to speak with their new general managers, but one example of things not going exactly according to plan came when Boston's video feed froze as Hagens was speaking to the team's brass. The Vancouver Canucks owned the highest selection among Canadian clubs at No. 15. The draft continues Saturday with rounds two through seven. The night, however, belonged to Schaefer. 'I don't usually cry as much as my dad and brother,' he said. 'My dad's like, 'Ah, you won't cry.' And then I'm kind of biting my tongue, and my name gets called, and then they start flowing. 'Happy tears … I just wish my mom could be here.' By Joshua Clipperton This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2025.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Watch Matthew Schaefer's moving reaction after being selected first in 2025 NHL Draft
Matthew Schaefer is officially the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. The 17-year-old star was selected by the New York Islanders on June 27 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, despite missing half of last season due to a broken clavicle. Advertisement As Schaefer put on his Islanders uniform with the No. 25 on stage, he got emotional, kissing the jersey where a pink ribbon was placed, and pointing to the sky. Schaefer was likely paying homage to his mother, Jennifer, who died during the 2023-24 season. 2025 NHL Draft live updates: Matthew Schaefer goes first, picks, order Watch: Matthew Schaefer emotional after Islanders make him top pick Schaefer was wearing a jacket with his mother's picture inside when he arrived at the draft in Los Angeles. His mother, Jennifer, died following a two-year battle with breast cancer during the 2023-24 season. His billet mother, Emily Matson, and Erie Otters owner Jim Waters also died that same season. Schaefer played his junior hockey with Erie. Advertisement "Thank you guys, I appreciate you taking a chance on me," Schaefer said to the Islanders' decision makers following the selection on stage. "I promise I won't disappoint, but especially want to say to my mom and the rest of my family and friends, 'thanks for everything.'" The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Matthew Schaefer NHL draft reaction: Islanders' top pick emotional
Fox News
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Fox News
New York Islanders choose Matthew Schaefer with No. 1 pick in 2025 NHL draft
Print Close By Jackson Thompson Published June 27, 2025 The New York Islanders made defenseman Matthew Schaefer the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NHL draft Friday. The 17-year-old Schaefer is 6-foot-2 and from Hamilton, Ontario. He spent the past two seasons with the Ontario Hockey League's Erie Otters. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON Schaefer only played 17 games last year before breaking his collarbone in December, but his acumen on both ends of the ice still propelled him to the top of nearly all draft boards. Schaefer is just the fifth defenseman drafted No. 1 overall in the NHL draft since 2000, and the first since Owen Power went to Buffalo in 2021. CITY-RUN GROCERY STORES, DEFUNDING POLICE, SAFE INJECTION SITES: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT NYC'S NEXT POTENTIAL MAYOR Schaefer persevered through tragedy to reach this milestone. Schaefer's mother, Jennifer, died of cancer 16 months ago, and he endured the recent deaths of the Otters' owner, Jim Waters, and the mother of his billet family. When Schaefer pulled on his Islanders sweater for the first time, he kissed the pink ribbon patch on the chest representing breast cancer awareness before breaking into tears. The San Jose Sharks pick second, and the Chicago Blackhawks go third in the newly decentralized draft at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The Islanders won the lottery to pick first in a draft packed with talent. There was no absolute lock of a No. 1 pick in this field, although Schaefer clearly came out on top. The draft also lacked the centralized format that has long been a staple of this annual exercise. The 32 teams' various executives are mostly at home, not on the draft floor at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X , and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter . Print Close URL
Reuters
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Reuters
Islanders select Matthew Schaefer No. 1 at 2025 NHL Draft
June 28 - The New York Islanders selected defenseman Matthew Schaefer with the first overall pick at the 2025 NHL Draft on Friday afternoon in Los Angeles. Schaefer, who will turn 18 on Sept. 5, played for the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League the past two seasons. The 6-foot-2, 183-pound Hamilton, Ontario native was limited to 17 games with Erie last season after missing the first nine with mononucleosis and then breaking his right clavicle on Dec. 27 while playing for Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championships. Schaefer was the second-youngest player on Canada's World Junior roster, two months older than forward Gavin McKenna, who isn't eligible until the 2026 NHL Draft. The day before he was injured, Schaefer scored an empty-net goal and had an assist in Canada's 4-0 victory against Finland in the tournament opener. Schaefer lost his mother, Jennifer, to breast cancer in February 2024, two months after his billet mother, Emily Matson, died in an apparent suicide. Despite having the 10th-best chance of winning the draft lottery at 3.5 percent, the Islanders landed the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft last month, the first time since drafting John Tavares No. 1 overall in 2009. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was slated to announce the first-round picks for the first time since he took over the position in 1993. This year also marked the first time team staffs did not attend the draft, but rather participated from their home cities. "The clubs asked for this," Bettman said in February. "I wasn't looking for any more exposure. I have more than enough. But this is what the clubs told us they wanted, and we're going to try it. And we'll see after this year whether or not everybody likes it better." --Field Level Media
Globe and Mail
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Globe and Mail
New York Islanders choose Erie defenseman Matthew Schaefer with No. 1 pick in NHL draft
The New York Islanders selected defenseman Matthew Schaefer with the No. 1 pick in the NHL draft Friday night. High-scoring forward Michael Misa went second overall to the San Jose Sharks, and the Chicago Blackhawks took Swedish forward Anton Frondell third at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles. The Islanders surprised nobody by using their first No. 1 selection since 2009 on the 17-year-old Schaefer, a 6-foot-2 blueliner from Hamilton, Ontario, who spent the past two seasons with the Ontario Hockey League's Erie Otters. He played only 17 games last season before breaking his collarbone in December, but Schaefer's acumen on both ends of the ice still propelled him to the top of nearly all draft boards. Schaefer is just the fifth defenseman picked No. 1 overall in the NHL draft since 2000, and the first since Owen Power went to Buffalo in 2021. Schaefer persevered through tragedy to reach this milestone. Schaefer's mother, Jennifer, died of cancer 16 months ago, and he also endured the recent deaths of the Otters' owner, Jim Waters, and the mother of his billet family. An 84-game season among changes coming to NHL as part of new labour deal When Schaefer pulled on his Islanders sweater for the first time, he kissed a pink ribbon patch on the chest representing breast cancer awareness before breaking into tears. 'I appreciate you taking a chance on me,' Schaefer said in a video conference call with the Islanders' front office. 'I promise I won't disappoint, but especially I just want to say to my mom and all my family and friends, thanks for everything.' Misa tore up the OHL last season as the captain of the Saginaw Spirit, scoring 62 goals and 134 points in just 65 games. He joins a struggling Sharks organization that chose Will Smith fourth overall in 2023 and got center Macklin Celebrini with the first overall pick a year ago. 'We just thought it was a perfect fit with what we already have here,' Sharks general manager Mike Grier said. 'Another guy to step in and be a nightmare matchup for people.' Frondell excelled as a 17-year-old forward last season with Djurgården in Sweden's second division, showing off a two-way game that allowed him to push Misa on some draft boards. At 6-foot-2, he could provide a large complement to Connor Bedard. The Islanders won the lottery to pick first in a draft that is packed with talent — while missing a few staples of recent drafts. There was no absolute lock of a No. 1 pick in this field, although Schaefer clearly came out on top, and the draft also lacked the centralized structure that has long been a staple of this annual exercise. The 32 teams' various executives are mostly at home, not strewn across the draft floor.
