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Fox News
13 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
Globe and Mail
13 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.
CBS News
14 hours ago
- Sport
- CBS News
New York Islanders take 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. 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 drafted No. 1 overall in the NHL draft since 2000, and the first since Owen Power went to Buffalo in 2021. Matthew Schaefer walks the red carpet during the NHL hockey draft Friday, June 27, 2025, in Los Angeles. Damian Dovarganes / AP 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. 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 held at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles. 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 at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles.
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Who is Matthew Schaefer? Islanders select defenseman No. 1 overall
The New York Islanders selected Erie (Pennsylvania) Otters defenseman Matthew Schaefer with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 NHL Draft on June 27. He's the first defenseman to be taken first overall since the Buffalo Sabres selected Owen Power in 2021. He is also the first player from Erie to go No. 1 since the Edmonton Oilers chose Connor McDavid in 2015. Advertisement Schaefer established himself as the top prospect in the draft despite missing the last half of the season with a broken clavicle. Here's what to know about Matthew Schaefer, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 NHL Draft: How old is Matthew Schaefer? He is 17 and will turn 18 in September. Matthew Schaefer height, weight He is 6-foot-2, 183 pounds. Where is Matthew Schaefer from? He was born in Stoney Creek, Ontario. He was the No. 1 pick in the 2023 Ontario Hockey League draft. Matthew Schaefer has overcome adversity Schaefer lost both his mother, Jennifer, his team owner, and his billet mother, Emily Matson, during the 2023-24 season. (Junior hockey players live with billet families in the cities where they're playing.) Otters team owner Jim Waters died in 2024. Schaefer said the Otters and the hockey community were very supportive of him through his losses. Advertisement He has a photo of him and his mother inside his jacket. Matthew Schaefer arrives to the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft at Peacock Theater. He has photos of his family, including his late mother, in his jacket. "I wish she could be there," he said of his mother during a June 26 media availability. "I think that's the biggest thing I'll be thinking about when I hear my name called, but I know she'll be smiling down. I know she's with me in spirit. I know my dad and brother will have some tears. I think I'm going to have some tears." He said if it rains on draft day, then his mother is crying, too. Matthew Schaefer missed time with injury He was playing in the world junior hockey championship in December when he crashed into the net and broke his clavicle. He needed surgery and missed the rest of the season. But his play beforehand and his two points in two games at the tournament led NHL Central Scouting to keep him as the top-ranked prospect. Advertisement He said the toughest part was not being there for his Canada teammates at the tournament, which was won by the USA, and his Erie teammates. "No hockey player (likes not) playing hockey, and watching it is a lot more stressful." he said. "I'm sitting there and I'm grabbing the desk, like the chair I'm on and I'm rocking and I'm trying to stand still. I just want to be out there." He said he'll be ready to take part in development camp after the draft. Matthew Schaefer stats He had five goals and 17 assists in 17 games with the Otters before his injury. The previous season, he had 17 points in 56 games as he worked on the defensive side of his game. He got to show his offensive side this past season, he said. Matthew Schaefer scouting report Red Line Report's Kyle Woodlief says Schaefer is one of the top defense prospects in the past five years. Advertisement "Tremendous compete level, leadership and IQ," Woodlief wrote. " He's totally engaged from first puck drop and his engine never shuts off until the final buzzer. Defensively he does it all. Excellent coverage, blocks shots, initiates physical contact, wins puck battles and makes fantastic zone exits. His tremendous skating allows him to join, and often lead, the rush." How does Matthew Schaefer describe himself? He joked that he's a great singer and dancer but then called himself a two-way defenseman. "I can play all over the ice,' he said. 'Power play, penalty kill, very competitive and loves to win. Off the ice, I love to talk, as you guys can tell. I'm a leader, but honestly, the fans mean a lot to me. If they want autographs or anything — which I don't know why they'd want one really but if they do — and pictures, I love taking the time because they come out to support us so much.' This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Matthew Schaefer goes No. 1 in NHL draft to Islanders: What to know
CTV News
3 days ago
- Sport
- CTV News
Grief, loss changed mindset of top NHL draft prospect Matthew Schaefer
Matthew Schaefer (left) signs a Canadian hockey fan's jersey after practice in Petawawa, Ont., on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang Matthew Schaefer has been hit with heartache and grief. The 17-year-old defenceman projected to go first overall at the 2025 NHL draft dusted himself off after each devastating blow. Those tragedies now help shape his perspective in and out of hockey as he churns toward the biggest moment to date in a young career. 'I've been through a lot,' Schaefer said. 'I'm so much stronger that I went through this stuff.' 'Work your hardest, be a good person,' the Hamilton product added. 'You never know what people are going through.' The star blueliner with the Ontario Hockey League's Erie Otters has been through more than most. Schaefer's world was knocked off its axis in February 2024 when his mother, Jennifer, died of breast cancer. 'She's always with me in spirit,' he said. 'I know she has a front-row seat every game … she was a strong woman. I talk about more the happy memories instead of the sad memories. 'There's a lot of things I've learned. I'm definitely a lot stronger.' That devastating news came three months after Schaefer's billet mom was struck and killed by a train in what was ruled a death by suicide. The six-foot-two, 186-pound blueliner was then rocked again in December as he prepared to play for Canada at the world junior hockey championship when mentor and Otters owner Jim Waters died of a heart attack. 'When I was younger and I stubbed my toe, I probably would have thought the world was ending,' Schaefer, the No. 1-ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting, said during the Stanley Cup final. 'But going through everything, there's so (many) worse things that can happen in life. 'Each and every day, I just want to have a positive mindset.' An elite defenceman with exceptional skating, defensive awareness and playmaking ability, Schaefer is expected to hear his name called when the New York Islanders make the top selection Friday at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Schaefer played just 17 games in the OHL this season after breaking is collarbone at those world juniors in Ottawa — the beginning of the end for a host country that would suffer another disappointing quarterfinal exit — putting up seven goals and 15 assists for 22 points with Erie. A pair of centres ranked No. 2 and No. 3 in North America will likely be picked soon after Schaefer — Michael Misa of the OHL's Saginaw Spirit and James Hagens of the NCAA's Boston College Eagles. A product of Oakville, Ont., Misa was granted exceptional status to play major junior a year early ahead of the 2022-23 campaign. He registered 62 goals and 72 assists for 134 points in 65 games this season. 'A lot of different emotions,' the 18-year-old said of his journey. 'I'm just trying to take it all in.' Hagens had 37 points (11 goals, 26 assists) in 37 contests as an NCAA freshman, often battling against much older players. 'It's awesome being able to be in this spot,' said the 18-year-old from Hauppauge, N.Y., who also helped the U.S. win world junior gold. The NHL will hold its first decentralized draft — similar to the NFL and NBA — that will see teams' brain trusts make picks remotely instead of on the ground in L.A. It's unclear if this as-yet-untested format will continue beyond 2025. The league has said it will be inviting the top-50 prospects based on its final rankings to the showcase. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is slated to announce the first selection before the remaining 31 first-round picks will be called out by special guests with connections to individual clubs. The San Jose Sharks own the No. 2 selection, followed by the Chicago Blackhawks, Utah Mammoth and Nashville Predators. The Vancouver Canucks currently possess the highest pick among Canadian franchises at No. 15. The Montreal Canadiens have both the 16th and 17th selections — the first of which was part of the 2022 trade with the Calgary Flames for Sean Monahan. Calgary will select 18th with a pick acquired from the New Jersey Devils in the deal for goaltender Jacob Markstrom last June. The Ottawa Senators (21st) and Winnipeg Jets (28th) will look to stock their prospect cupboards before the Flames round out Friday's proceedings with the No. 32 pick, which originally belonged to the Florida Panthers and ties a bow on the Matthew Tkachuk trade. The Toronto Maple Leafs (No. 25) and Edmonton Oilers (No. 31) previously traded their first-round selections. The draft continues Saturday with rounds two through seven. Schaefer will be off the board long before then. And his mother will no doubt be in his thoughts as he climbs those draft stairs. 'My mindset has changed,' Schaefer said. 'What my mom went through, having a smile on her face with cancer and everything trying to bring her down … but she wouldn't let it bring her down. Someone I look up to, really strong. 'Wish I was as tough as her.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 25, 2025. Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
