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7NEWS
30-06-2025
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Matthew Schaefer's touching tribute to late mother after he was picked first overall by NHL's New York Islanders
After Matthew Schaefer pulled the blue-and-orange sweater over his head at the NHL draft, his eyes already glistening with tears, he glanced down at his left shoulder and saw a pink ribbon. The symbol of breast cancer awareness was the New York Islanders' tribute to his mother, Jennifer, who died of the disease just 16 months ago. The No. 1 pick kissed the ribbon and modestly pointed to the sky, paying a poignant tribute to the woman who raised this boy into the man he'll soon become — and who will accompany him on every step of his bright hockey future. The Islanders selected the gifted 17-year-old defenceman first overall on Friday night, kicking off an NHL draft with a beautiful moment felt across the breadth of the sport. '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 mum and all my family and friends, thanks for everything.' 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 manoeuvred their way into three picks in the top 17, but they surprised nobody by using their first No. 1 selection since 2009 on Schaefer. The 6-foot-2 blueliner from Hamilton, Ontario, with exceptional puck-moving ability and strong defensive skills spent the past two seasons with the Ontario Hockey League's Erie Otters, growing into an irresistible choice for the top pick. Schaefer persevered through tragedy to reach this moment. Along with the loss of his mother, he also endured the recent deaths of the Otters' owner, Jim Waters, and the mother of his billet family. The Islanders added the ribbon patch to the ceremonial jersey specifically for Schaefer, along with his mother's initials on the sweater collar. '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 organisation is. It really means a lot. 'I wish my mum 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.' Schaefer scored 22 points while playing in only 17 games last season before breaking his collarbone in December. His acumen on both ends of the ice still propelled him to the top of nearly all draft boards. Schaefer is just the fifth defenceman picked No. 1 overall in the NHL draft since 2000, and the first since Owen Power went to Buffalo in 2021. Schaefer is also the second Erie product to go No. 1, joining Connor McDavid in 2015. 'First and foremost, we drafted him because he's an unbelievable hockey player,' Isles general manager Mathieu Darche said. 'Obviously, the human being is exceptional. (For) a 17-year-old to have that resilience, maturity with everything that he's gone through is beyond impressive, honestly. I haven't met many 17-year-old kids that act like him. 'But at the end of the day, we're drafting him because he's a hell of a hockey player.' Schaefer got two new teammates when the Islanders used the 16th pick on Swedish forward Victor Eklund and nabbed defenceman Kashawn Aitcheson with the 17th selection. Both Pennsylvania teams were also busy in 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 manoeuvred up and down the draft to control three picks in the top 24, swinging two trades while drafting forwards Benjamin Kindel, Bill Zonnon and William Horcoff. Misa tore up the OHL last season as the captain of the Saginaw Spirit, scoring 62 goals and 134 points in just 65 games. While wearing a teal jersey for the first time, he repeated his desire to play in the NHL next season if he can crack the roster of a struggling Sharks organisation that chose Will Smith fourth overall in 2023 and got centre Macklin Celebrini with the first overall pick a year ago. 'He's an ultra-competitive kid who's been playing up a level, up a birth year his whole life,' Sharks general manager Mike Grier said about Misa. 'He wants to be the best. He wants to play against the best, so I'm sure this is what he wants to do, but you know we're not going to hand him anything. He's got to come into training camp and try and take a job.' 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. Centre 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 defenceman Cameron Reid. Martin skipped the draft, staying home on his family farm in Ontario. Fans of the host Los Angeles Kings inside the theatre 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. Los Angeles eventually chose defenceman Henry Brzustewicz from the Memorial Cup champion London Knights in general manager Ken Holland's first selection for his new team. The Penguins created the majority of the surprises in the first round, first by choosing Calgary Hitmen centre 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 centre 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 Horcoff — the son of NHL veteran Shawn 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 centre, but the Saskatchewan native has been slowed by a back injury that scared off some teams. Two goalies were chosen in the first round for the first time since 2021 and only the third time in 13 years. Columbus grabbed Russia's Pyotr Andreyanov with the 20th pick, making him the highest-picked European goalie in fourth years, while San Jose added goalie Joshua Ravensbergen with the 30th selection. The Boston Bruins used the seventh overall pick on Boston College centre 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,' Hagens, who cites Happy Gilmore as his favourite movie, said. 'I love to win, and I'm really glad that I'm in Boston.' 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. The draft also lacked the centralised 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. While reviews of the new format seemed largely negative from television viewers and fans, many hockey executives praised the format afterward.
NBC News
28-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC News
Islanders' No. 1 pick Matthew Schaefer pays tribute to late mother with a kiss and a promise
LOS ANGELES — After Matthew Schaefer pulled the blue-and-orange sweater over his head at the NHL draft, his eyes already glistening with tears, he glanced down at his left shoulder and saw a pink ribbon. The symbol of breast cancer awareness was the New York Islanders' tribute to his mother, Jennifer, who died of the disease just 16 months ago. The No. 1 pick kissed the ribbon and modestly pointed to the sky, paying a poignant tribute to the woman who raised this boy into the man he'll soon become — and who will accompany him on every step of his bright hockey future. The Islanders selected the gifted 17-year-old defenseman first overall Friday night, kicking off an NHL draft with a beautiful moment felt across the breadth of the sport. '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.' 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 maneuvered their way into three picks in the top 17, but they surprised nobody by using their first No. 1 selection since 2009 on Schaefer. The 6-foot-2 blueliner from Hamilton, Ontario, with exceptional puck-moving ability and strong defensive skills spent the past two seasons with the Ontario Hockey League's Erie Otters, growing into an irresistible choice for the top pick. Schaefer persevered through tragedy to reach this moment. Along with the loss of his mother, he also endured the recent deaths of the Otters' owner, Jim Waters, and the mother of his billet family. The Islanders added the ribbon patch to the ceremonial jersey specifically for Schaefer, along with his mother's initials on the sweater collar. '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.' Schaefer scored 22 points while playing in only 17 games last season before breaking his collarbone in December. 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 picked No. 1 overall in the NHL draft since 2000, and the first since Owen Power went to Buffalo in 2021. Schaefer also is the second Erie product to go No. 1, joining Connor McDavid in 2015. 'First and foremost, we drafted him because he's an unbelievable hockey player,' Isles general manager Mathieu Darche said. 'Obviously, the human being is exceptional. (For) a 17-year-old to have that resilience, maturity with everything that he's gone through is beyond impressive, honestly. I haven't met many 17-year-old kids that act like him. But at the end of the day, we're drafting him because he's a hell of a hockey player.' Schaefer got two new teammates when the Islanders used the 16th pick on Swedish forward Victor Eklund and nabbed defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson with the 17th selection. Both Pennsylvania teams also were busy in 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 while drafting forwards Benjamin Kindel, Bill Zonnon and William Horcoff. Misa tore up the OHL last season as the captain of the Saginaw Spirit, scoring 62 goals and 134 points in just 65 games. While wearing a teal jersey for the first time, he repeated his desire to play in the NHL next season if he can crack the roster of 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. 'He's an ultra-competitive kid who's been playing up a level, up a birth year his whole life,' Sharks general manager Mike Grier said about Misa. 'He wants to be the best. He wants to play against the best, so I'm sure this is what he wants to do, but you know we're not going to hand him anything. He's got to come into training camp and try and take a job.' 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. 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. Martin skipped the draft, staying home on his family farm in Ontario. 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. Los Angeles eventually chose defenseman Henry Brzustewicz from the Memorial Cup champion London Knights in general manager Ken Holland's first selection for his new team. The Penguins created the majority of the surprises in the first round, first by choosing Calgary Hitmen center 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 Horcoff — the son of NHL veteran Shawn 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. Two goalies were chosen in the first round for the first time since 2021 and only the third time in 13 years. Columbus grabbed Russia's Pyotr Andreyanov with the 20th pick, making him the highest-picked European goalie in fourth years, while San Jose added goalie Joshua Ravensbergen with the 30th selection. 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 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. 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. While reviews of the new format seemed largely negative from television viewers and fans, many hockey executives praised the format afterward.
Edmonton Journal
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
Dobson deal could be template for Oilers D Evan Bouchard extension
Article content That $9.5-million AAV deal that Noah Dobson signed in Montreal after his New York Islanders' trade might be a template for Evan Bouchard's Edmonton Oilers ' contract negotiation. Not sure Bouchard wants to sign here for eight years as Dobson did with the Habs — the feeling is he might want shorter, say, four years, to see where the salary cap goes — but these are similar, offensive-minded defencemen. Same right-shot, same age, 25, same draft year in 2018. Bouchard went 10th, Dobson 12th.
Time of India
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
NHL Trade Rumour: St. Louis Blues eye potential deal with Noah Dobson ahead of July 1 deadline
Noah Dobson (via Getty Images) The New York Islanders' Noah Dobson and the St. Louis Blues' Jordan Kyrou are both making waves as NHL front offices consider high-impact roster transactions before prominent contract deadlines. While there's no confirmed deal on the table, league sources suggest that both teams are testing the market, and time is running out with Jordan Kyrou's full no-trade clause set to activate on July 1. St. Louis Blues explore Noah Dobson trade possibilities as Kyrou's no-trade clause nears activation St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong is checking on the availability of Noah Dobson, the skilled 25-year-old right-handed defenseman who has arbitration rights as a pending restricted free agent. This situation suggests a blockbuster trade that has the potential to remake both franchises. Noah Dobson, a key member of the New York Islanders' blue line, is said to be looking for a contract of nearly $10 million annually—a big increase, but one commensurate with his top-pairing minutes and power-play usage. The St. LouisBlues, on the other hand, have a decision on Jordan Kyrou, their 25-year-old right wing, after a 70-point season. Kyrou is in the third year of his eight-year, $8.125 million deal. His no-trade provision kicks in fully on July 1, so any big trade that involves him would be much more difficult to make after that date. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like If you have a mouse, play this game for 1 minute Navy Quest Undo Something BIG is brewing in St. Louis... Though there's no suggestion of a pending Dobson-for-Kyrou trade, league rumor has both names included in internal assessments as organizations consider what's available before free agency and trade windows. The New York Islanders, in the meantime, are dealing with cap limitations and the pressing need to add depth to their top-six forward corps. Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat require an offensive winger, and a talent such as Kyrou would be a seamless fit. From a budget standpoint, it might make sense. The Blues have about $15.5 million in cap room and would be able to create even more by trading an older defenseman such as Justin Faulk or Nick Leddy, both of whom have huge contracts. Having Dobson would provide St. Louis with a real 1A/1B option on defense, along with Colton Parayko and a new PP quarterback. Islanders, meanwhile, would sidestep Dobson's estimated extension cost by signing Kyrou, who's already under contract at an affordable cap hit. Also read: NHL trade rumors: Noah Dobson drawing serious trade interest from $2.1B Detroit Red Wings The talk about Noah Dobson and Jordan Kyrou is speculative. But as July 1 nears, the urgency increases for the Blues to act, and they have to weigh in on some big decisions that could define their roster for years to come. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
NBC Sports
29-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Mathieu Darche introduced as Islanders' head of hockey operations
NEW YORK — Mathieu Darche was all smiles as he was formally introduced as the New York Islanders' executive vice president and general manager. The 48-year-old former NHL forward, who spent the previous six seasons — including two Stanley Cups — with the Tampa Bay Lightning, takes control of the team's hockey operations department from Lou Lamoriello. Darche officially announced that Patrick Roy would return as coach next season and be able to hire his own assistants with John MacLean and Tommy Albelin not returning. Darche also said there would be a new coaching staff in Bridgeport, the team's AHL affiliate. The Islanders missed the playoffs this season after bowing out to the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round the previous two springs. Darche, who played 268 NHL games from 2001-12 for five teams, is ready to get started. 'We want to create our own success going forward, build our own legacy,' said Darche, a Montreal native who mentioned watching the Islanders and his idol Mike Bossy win four straight Stanley Cups from 1980-83. 'I believe in best practices and seeing what I can bring.' Roy, a Hall of Fame goaltender, became coach of the Islanders in January 2024. He guided the Islanders into the postseason with a late surge in 2024 but the team fell short this time, missing the playoffs for the second time in four seasons since starting play at UBS Arena. Both Darche and Roy were born in the province of Quebec. 'Patrick is a winner,'' said Darche, who met the 59-year-old Roy for the first time in recent days. 'I am extremely comfortable and excited to be working with him. I know he's passionate and he works hard.' Islanders co-owner John Collins echoed the sentiments of his incoming head of hockey operations, who also has a business background away from hockey and a degree from McGill University in Montreal. 'There's a championship legacy here that needs to move forward. We believe strongly that Mathieu Darche understands how to make that happen,'' Collins said. 'He has been an important part of Stanley Cup success in Tampa Bay and we see him as a team builder with a bright future for us.' Darche does have plenty of work to do. He said he's spoken to just about every player on the Islanders roster and will be focused on the upcoming draft — in which the Islanders have the No. 1 pick — plus pending free agents in the weeks ahead. 'You've entrusted me with hockey operations of this franchise and it's not something I take lightly,'' Darche said. 'I want this team to be a perennial playoff team … It's not always a straight line but every single day every decision I make will be not for Mathieu Darche — not for anybody else — but the best thing for the New York Islanders.' Islanders captain Anders Lee, who turns 35 in July and will be starting his 14th season with the Islanders, said his early impressions of the new boss have been all positive. 'Mathieu will come in with a lot of ideas. He's seen how things have worked in Tampa. He has a vision for this group and this organization,'' said Lee, with a backdrop of the arena's ice-free surface. 'We all have the same goal here. We want to be playing games in May, knocking on the door of the Stanley Cup.' Lee also credited the 82-year-old Lamoriello with having a key impact during his seven years at the Islanders helm. 'Lou meant a lot. He was a mentor and someone you could lean on, someone you could go to for things outside of hockey,'' Lee said. 'Lou has seen it all and he's done it with high character and great values. He's a man of his word. He made a lot of guys in that room not just better hockey players, but better men.'
