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New York Times
2 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
With first-round haul at 2025 draft, Islanders ‘replenished' prospect pool for future
The Athletic has live coverage of the 2025 NHL Draft. The New York Islanders have known better days. They haven't experienced many busier ones, though. From the hours before and then throughout Round 1 of the NHL Draft on Friday night, new general manager Mathieu Darche left no doubt he is remaking a franchise that hasn't won the Stanley Cup since 1984 and last advanced beyond the second round in 2020-21. Advertisement That's the goal: to bring the Cup back to Long Island. And if it ever happens, Day 1 of Darche's first draft might be remembered for setting the foundation. As expected, the Islanders selected touted defenseman Matthew Schaefer with the first overall pick. But it was a big trade made a few hours prior that set up what Darche hopes will be looked upon as a fruitful night. Then, the Islanders dealt defenseman Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens for forward Emil Heineman and the Nos. 16 and 17 picks in the draft. With those selections, the Islanders took winger Victor Eklund and defenseman Kashawn Aitchenson — the eighth- and 11th-rated prospects, respectively, in The Athletic's final draft rankings. 'High-character individuals tend to overachieve, and we've got three high-character young players,' Darche said. 'That's the type of individuals I want on the team, so it was a great night for the Islanders.' Darche said he believes the Islanders 'replenished our prospect pool' in Friday's first round — a process that he felt was started with moves by former GM Lou Lamoriello at the trade deadline. Darche is willing to move the team's remaining Day 2 draft picks if the return nets NHL players who can help the team next season and beyond. He also plans to spend in free agency. Adding significant pieces on the open market is costly and risky, perhaps no more or less than daring to move on from Dobson. Darche said his intention until this week was to re-sign Dobson. When it became apparent that wouldn't happen, he pivoted to a trade. The price for Eklund and Aitchenson was steep. Dobson, who signed a max-term deal with an $9.5 million cap hit as part of a sign-and-trade to the Canadiens, has proven himself an explosive right-shot defenseman, especially on the power play. But that's at his best, and he wasn't last season. Still, at 25, Dobson is entering the traditional prime. Therein lay the logic for trading him. Advertisement Darche said he was willing to trade the picks acquired from Montreal to add NHL talent. He also confirmed looking to move back into Round 1, conceding that center James Hagens, a Long Island native, was 'high on our list.' The Islanders were not alone among clubs angling to move into the top 10, but the price was high enough to keep all those interested GMs at bay, and the Boston Bruins ended any fairytale dreams in New York when they picked Hagens seventh overall. 'He's a good player,' Darche said of Hagens. 'That's why (the Bruins) picked him.' Instead, the Islanders picked three players in Round 1 for only the second time. The other was 1999, when they made four opening-round selections. The @NYIslanders had a busy Round 1 of the #NHLDraft, selecting Matthew Schaefer (No. 1), Victor Eklund (No. 16) and Kashawn Aitcheson (No. 17).#NHLStats: — NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) June 28, 2025 The Islanders are trying to build a Cup contender, not merely a team that competes for a playoff spot. The hope is that these first-round picks, led by Schaefer, a projected franchise defenseman, form part of the foundation for a Cup contender over the long haul. 'It's only starting,' Schaefer said from Los Angeles. 'Train and work as hard as I can so when the end of the summer comes, when the season comes, I'm ready to go play at that NHL level.' Before he became the Islanders' sixth No. 1 pick in franchise history, Schaefer's draft-eligible season was marred by significant time missed because of a broken collarbone and mononucleosis. But those setbacks, he said, are 'small' compared to a trio of losses in 2003. That year his billet mom with the Erie Otters, Emily Matson, died of apparent suicide, a few months before his mother, Jennifer Schaefer, died following a lengthy battle with breast cancer. That December, Otter's owner Jim Waters died of a heart attack. Advertisement The jacket Schaefer wore on Friday night had images of his mother sewn into the lining. When he pulled on the Islanders sweater after greeting NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on stage, Schaefer was surprised to find his mother's initials sewn inside the collar. By the time he touched a pink breast cancer awareness ribbon he hadn't expected to see on the left shoulder of the jersey, Schaefer was doing all he could to fight back tears. He gave up that fight — something his late mother never did, Schaefer said. An emotional moment as Matthew Schaefer dons the Islanders sweater for the first time 👏 — ESPN (@espn) June 27, 2025 'To do that for me — it means a lot and it goes a long way,' he said. 'A lot of people can say, 'Ah, it's just a ribbon,' but it means a lot for me. My mom's a big part of my life, and this jersey I'm going to hang onto, for sure. 'The ribbon has a lot of meaning to it.' So, too, does banking on a blueliner to help lead a franchise rebuild. Darche, who came to the Islanders after many years in the Tampa Bay Lightning front office, is well-versed in the many ways an elite defenseman can positively impact a team. He wouldn't dare compare Schaefer to the Lightning's Victor Hedman, a likely future Hockey Hall of Famer who has won a Norris Trophy and a Conn Smythe Trophy and played a pivotal role on Tampa Bay's back-to-back Cup-winning teams earlier this decade. However, the plan is to provide Schaefer with every resource necessary — including time — to grow into a foundational piece on Long Island. 'I haven't met many 17-year-olds with that maturity,' Darche said. 'But we drafted him because he's a hell of a hockey player.' — Eric Stephens contributed reporting.
Forbes
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Forbes
Top Takeaways From Round 1 Of The 2025 NHL Draft
Matthew Schaefer points skyward next to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman after being selected first ... More overall by the New York Islanders during the 2025 NHL Draft at Peacock Theater on June 27, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NHLI via Getty Images) Perhaps it would have been impossible for any sequel to measure up to the spectacle that the NHL delivered for its 2024 Draft a year ago at the Sphere in Las Vegas. In a new format with teams working out of their home markets and the show at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, Round 1 of the 2025 NHL Draft on Friday felt bumpy at times but delivered some heartfelt emotion and a strong showing from Canadian Hockey League prospects. Despite missing the second half of his season after breaking his collarbone at the 2025 world junior championship, Erie Otters defense prospect Matthew Schaefer demonstrated the strong character that helped him remain the strong consensus No. 1 pick despite missing so much action. He also went through the physical testing and interview process earlier this month at the NHL's scouting combine. In addition to keeping a positive attitude despite his injury, Schaefer also went through the draft process just one year after losing his mother, Jennifer, to breast cancer in 2024. The tears were flowing from father Todd and brother Jonathon as they heard NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announce Matthew's name as the first overall selection by the New York Islanders, just 36 days after Mathieu Darche took over as the team's new general manager. When Schaefer took to the stage to shake Bettman's hand and don the Islanders jersey, he kissed the purple cancer awareness ribbon that was affixed to the breast of the sweater, then pointed to the sky to honor his mother. From there, it became difficult for him to regain his composure as he was ushered into the 'NHL Draft House' to speak virtually with Darche and his colleagues via videoconference — an inauspicious start for the new format that the league's general managers had voted to adopt this season. And while the early part of the draft definitely draws the most attention, the presentation dragged. Friday's first round ultimately clocked in at more than four hours. It took 40 minutes to get through the first three picks. The video interactions between players and teams were also repetitive and uncomfortable. Tongue-tied players did their best to express their gratitude while caught up in one of the biggest moments of their lives, while GMs attempted to offer elevator-pitch scouting reports on the players' attributes. In the past, those conversations have felt much more organic when a reporter can snag a GM off the draft floor. A general view of the stage prior to the seventh overall pick by the Boston Bruins in the 2025 NHL ... More Draft at Peacock Theater on June 27, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NHLI via Getty Images) Perhaps the decentralized format served the general managers' objectives of keeping their targets and conversations away from their rivals. But the entertainment value suffered, and the proceedings dragged on just as we saw previously with the virtual drafts conduced by necessity as a result of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. There weren't any blockbuster trades during Round 1 itself, just some small swaps as teams moved up or down by a few positions. The format is not to blame for that outcome — the same was true in 2024. One big trade did come down in earlier in the day, and was announced during the draft proceedings: the Islanders trading 25-year-old defenseman Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for the 16th and 17th picks, plus forward Emil Heineman. Amid much talk that he'd be a target of his hometown New York Islanders, James Hagens was selected ... More seventh overall by the Boston Bruins at the 2025 NHL Draft. (Photo by) There was talk that the Islanders could try to package those picks in order to trade up and snag James Hagens, the shifty Long Island-born center who has starred with the U.S. National Team Development Program and was a point-per-game freshman with Boston College in 2024-25. But Hagens was snapped up by the Boston Bruins with the seventh pick. The Islanders went with super-skilled Swedish winger Victor Eklund at No. 16 and big, gregarious two-way defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson at No. 17 — boosting their prospect pool dramatically over just a couple of hours. Mason West poses for a portrait during the 2025 NHL Scouting Combine at the HarborCenter on June ... More 05, 2025 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Chase Agnello-Dean/NHLI via Getty Images) Arguably the biggest surprise of Day 1 came well into the fourth hour, when the Chicago Blackhawks traded up to select 6-foot-7 center Mason West out of high school hockey in Edina, Minnesota at No. 29. West rose from No. 50 to No. 27 in the rankings of North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting over the course of the season. But he's a two-sport athlete who also plays quarterback, and who made it clear that he plans to play football this fall in hopes of winning a state championship before moving on to the USHL. There's a risk for the Blackhawks because, while West says he's committed to hockey, a successful season on the gridiron could tempt him to stick with football. After his team missed the playoffs for five straight seasons and finished second-last in the league standings in 2024-25, GM Kyle Davidson determined that was a risk worth taking. The Blackhawks already have a deep prospect pool and also added to it on Friday with Swedish phenom Anton Frondell at No. 3 and hulking Czech winger Vaclav Nestrasil at No. 25. When the dust settled, 21 of the 32 picks in the first round came from the Canadian Hockey League — which will likely lean into its development roots more than ever starting next season, now that its older players have become eligible to move to the NCAA. Nine first-rounders came from the OHL including the top two picks, Schaefer and forward Michael Misa (San Jose Sharks). Nine also came from the WHL, led by big Czech defenseman Radim Mrtka at No. 9 (Buffalo Sabres). And after landing no first-round picks last year, the QMJHL rebounded with three in 2025. After finishing seventh among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting's final rankings, center Caleb Desnoyers of the Moncton Wildcats rose to fourth overall, selected by the Utah Mammoth after their draft-lottery win. The other eleven picks came from Sweden (two, led by Frondell at No. 3), the NCAA (five, led by Hagens at No. 7), Russia (goalie Pyotr Andreyanov to the Columbus Blue Jackets at No. 20), high school hockey (West, at No. 28) and the USHL (two, led by Nestrasil at No. 25). All told, 20 Canadians were drafted in Round 1, followed by six Americans, two Swedes, two Czechs, one Russian and one Finn. Positionally, there were 14 centers, eight wingers, eight defensemen and two goalies. With the first 32 picks now in the books, there's plenty more draft action ahead. Day 2 of the 2025 NHL Draft kicks off Saturday at noon ET (NHL Network, ESPN+, Sportnet One).
NBC Sports
3 hours ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Islanders choose Erie defenseman Schaefer with No. 1 pick in NHL draft
LOS ANGELES — 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 Philadelphia Flyers grabbed forward Porter Martone sixth overall before trading up for the 12th selection to get forward Jack Nesbitt, while the Pittsburgh Penguins maneuvered up and down the draft to control three picks in the top 24, swinging two trades to draft three forwards. But 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. An exceptional puck-mover and transitional force, Schaefer scored 22 points while playing in only 17 games last season before breaking his collarbone in December. 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. When Schaefer pulled on his Islanders sweater for the first time on the stage, 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.' The Islanders added the patch specifically for Schaefer, along with his mother's initials. 'Seeing the ribbon on my jersey, and I saw a picture, it has J.S. on my back here,' Schaefer said. 'You can see just how high-class the organization is. It really means a lot. I wish my mom could be here today. Obviously, she's with me here in spirit. ... Cancer sucks, and it's not fun. She didn't feel the best, but she was always the happiest in the family. She would do anything for us.' Center Caleb Desnoyers went fourth to the Utah Mammoth, who moved up 10 spots in the draft lottery. The Nashville Predators chose physical forward Brady Martin with the fifth pick before trading up for the 21st selection to get Kitchener defenseman Cameron Reid. The fans of the host Los Angeles Kings inside the theater got fired up for their club to make the 24th selection — which the Kings promptly traded to Pittsburgh for the 31st and 59th selections, prompting groans from the crowd. The Penguins created the majority of the surprises in the first round, first by choosing Calgary Hitmen center Benjamin Kindel with the 11th pick — much higher than many prognosticators expected. Pittsburgh then traded the 12th pick, which originally belonged to the New York Rangers, to Philadelphia for the 22nd and 31st picks. The Flyers wanted the 6-foot-4 Nesbitt, a fast-rising center from the OHL's Windsor Spitfires last season. The Penguins also gave a second-round pick to the Kings and swapped first-rounders so they could move up for Michigan center William Horcoff with the 24th pick. The Anaheim Ducks took a chance on forward Roger McQueen with the 10th selection. The 6-foot-5 McQueen is widely thought to have enough talent to become an elite center, but the Saskatchewan native has been slowed by a back injury that scared off some teams. Columbus chose the first goalie of the draft, grabbing Russia's Pyotr Andreyanov with the 20th pick. 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 6-2, he could provide a large complement to Connor Bedard. Frondell is the eighth Swedish player to be a top-three selection, joining elite company including Victor Hedman, Mats Sundin and the Sedin twins. Martin skipped the draft, instead staying home on his family farm in Ontario. The Boston Bruins used the seventh overall pick on Boston College center James Hagens, the consensus top prospect for this draft a year ago. Hagens, a Long Island native coveted by many Islanders fans, slid down the board just enough to reach the Bruins, whose pick was announced by a video of Adam Sandler in character as Happy Gilmore, complete with his signature Bruins jersey. 'I'm so excited to be back in Boston, and to have Adam Sandler make the pick, that was special,' said Hagens, who cites 'Happy Gilmore' as his favorite movie. 'I love to win, and I'm really glad that I'm in Boston.' The Seattle Kraken chose playmaking forward Jake O'Brien eighth overall. 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 prohibitive lock of a No. 1 pick in this field, unlike the past two drafts — although Schaefer clearly came out on top for most executives. 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. The majority of the picks were taken to a video room just behind the stage to exchange televised pleasantries with their new front offices through video conferencing.
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.
San Francisco Chronicle
4 hours ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
With Adam Sandler announcing his pick, Boston College's James Hagens happy to be drafted by Bruins
Growing up on Long Island, James Hagens wanted nothing more than to be selected by the team he grew up rooting for, the New York Islanders. Though that dream failed to materialize at the NHL draft on Friday night, the 18-year-old Boston College center was more than happy with the consolation. Hagens is not only staying in Boston, after being selected seventh overall by the Bruins, he enjoyed the extra bonus of having his name announced by Adam Sandler. 'Just being on a team that wants you the most, I love Boston. I love the area,' he said after becoming the first U.S.-born player taken in the draft. 'It's so special to have Adam Sandler make that pick. It's something I'll never forget for the rest of my life.' It just so happens that Hagens lists his favorite movie as 'Happy Gilmore,' which features Sandler as a former hockey player who turns his attention to golf. Wearing a Bruins jersey, Sandler announced the pick on a video screen on the draft stage inside the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. As Hagens made his way up the aisle, Sandler could be seen celebrating on screen in the background. Sandler was one of numerous celebrities to introduce teams' selections with the NHL going to a decentralized draft format in which its 32 franchises made their picks from their own markets. That's different from the past, when all teams gathered inside the same facility to make their picks. At 5-foot-11, Hagens had 11 goals and 26 assist s to finish fourth in points among college freshmen last season. He scored five goals for America's gold medal-winning team at the world juniors championships. The Islanders had the first pick, and selected defenseman Matthew Schaefer. Finally, a trade The first 11 picks in the draft went by without any movement. Then, Commissioner Gary Bettman asked Kris Letang's son, Alex, to press the red button that brought 'Trade Alert' up on video screens. The Pittsburgh Penguins traded No. 12, which the New York Rangers transferred to them earlier in the week to complete the J.T. Miller deal with Vancouver, to the cross-state rival Philadelphia Flyers for Nos. 22 and 31. The Flyers took big center Jack Nesbitt. 'You were our guy all along,' general manager Daniel Briere told him. Celebrity pickers Bettman announced the first pick, then turned the responsibilities over to everyone from a WWE wrestler to a series of NHL alumni. ___
