Latest news with #Schaefer
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
2025 NHL Draft: Schaefer, Misa, Frondell highlight star-studded first-round picks
The 2025 NHL Draft kicked off with Canadian defenseman Matthew Schaefer going first overall to the New York Islanders , highlighting a night rich in top-tier talent at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Schaefer, praised for his two-way play and resilience, was followed by high-scoring forward Michael Misa , selected second by the San Jose Sharks . Swedish center Anton Frondell went third to the Chicago Blackhawks , rounding out a dynamic top three. Other notable picks included Caleb Desnoyers to the Utah Mammoth at No. 4 and Brady Martin to the Nashville Predators at No. 5. ALSO READ - NHL Draft 2025: Full list of first-round picks by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Join new Free to Play WWII MMO War Thunder War Thunder Play Now Schaefer, a puck-moving blueliner from the Erie Otters. Schaefer, who tallied 22 points in just 17 games last season before a collarbone injury, became the fifth defenseman taken No. 1 overall since 2000 and the second Erie product to top the draft after Connor McDavid. — NHL (@NHL) Live Events The Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins were aggressive throughout the round. Philly took Porter Martone sixth, then traded up to No. 12 for Jack Nesbitt. The Penguins made three top-24 picks - Benjamin Kindel at 11 (a surprise to many), Bill Zonnon, and William Horcoff, son of former NHLer Shawn Horcoff, at 24 after two trade maneuvers. The Kings drew groans from home fans at the Peacock Theater by trading away the 24th pick to Pittsburgh. They eventually selected defenseman Henry Brzustewicz at 31 in new GM Ken Holland's first move. — NYIslanders (@NYIslanders) Elsewhere, Anaheim rolled the dice on towering center Roger McQueen at 10 despite back injury concerns, while Boston grabbed James Hagens - once the consensus No. 1 - with the seventh pick. The Long Island native's selection was announced by actor Adam Sandler in his Happy Gilmore persona. Two goalies were taken in the first round for the first time since 2021. Columbus picked Russian netminder Pyotr Andreyanov at 20, and San Jose followed by selecting Joshua Ravensbergen at 30.
Fox Sports
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Islanders' No. 1 pick Matthew Schaefer pays tribute to late mother with a kiss and a promise
Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — 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. ___ AP NHL:
Chicago Tribune
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
New York Islanders choose Erie defenseman Matthew 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 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 the 17-year-old 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. 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.' 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. 'I finally have a new favorite NHL team': Chicago Blackhawks select Anton Frondell at No. 3 in the 2025 NHL draftBoth 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. 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. 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 four 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 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.
NBC Sports
5 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.
Economic Times
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Economic Times
Matthew Schaefer goes to New York Islanders as first overall pick in NHL draft
AP Matthew Schaefer stands with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman after being drafted by the New York Islanders during the NHL draft in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) The New York Islanders made Canadian defenseman Matthew Schaefer the first overall pick in the NHL Draft on Friday night, selecting the 17-year-old standout from the Erie Otters and signaling high expectations for a player widely projected as a future cornerstone. Following Schaefer, the San Jose Sharks used the No. 2 pick on high-scoring forward Michael Misa, an 18-year-old who lit up the OHL last season with Saginaw. The Chicago Blackhawks picked third, selecting Swedish center Anton Frondell, who tallied 11 goals and 14 assists in 29 games for Djurgardens IF. ALSO READ - NHL Draft 2025 Updates: Full list of first-round picks The Utah Mammoth, after leaping 10 spots in the draft lottery, chose center Caleb Desnoyers fourth overall. Rounding out the top five, the Nashville Predators picked up rugged forward Brady Martin. Schaefer, who spent the past two seasons in the OHL, endured a challenging 2024–25 campaign that began with glandular fever and was later derailed by a broken collarbone suffered during the World Junior Championships. Despite the injuries, Schaefer posted an impressive seven goals and 15 assists in just 17 games, demonstrating the skill and poise that kept him atop draft February 2024, his mother, Jennifer, passed away from cancer. He pushed through that personal tragedy to deliver a strong rookie season, drawing admiration for his resilience as well as his ability. The emotions were felt on draft night at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. After his name was called, Schaefer fought back tears and honored his late mother."You wait for this moment your whole life," said Schaefer, who turns 18 in September. "I wish my mom could be here, but I know she's with me in spirit."
