The New York Islanders drafted Matthew Schaefer first overall with the hope that he'd become a star. They were so confident in his ability that he made the team out of training camp at just 18 years old. New York believes he can make an impact now, and in their season opener, he did just that.
Schaefer carried the puck into the offensive zone. He saw new Islanders forward Jonathan Drouin in the slot and passed it to the veteran. Drouin ripped a shot that may have taken a bounce in front of goal. Either way, it went into the back of the net to give Schaefer his first point while also tying the game 1-1.
Nice pass from Matthew Schaefer to Jonathan Drouin for his first career point. pic.twitter.com/0LnbBYOAC3
— Russell Morgan (@NHLRussell) October 9, 2025
Schaefer was the clear favorite to go first overall in the 2025 NHL Draft. He was considered the best overall player in the class. The 18-year-old suffered a broken collarbone that prevented him from playing much of the second half of the season. Still, his draft stock never wavered.
The Islanders had three first-round picks in the 2025 NHL Draft thanks to the Noah Dobson trade with the Montreal Canadiens. Kashawn Aitcheson and Victor Eklund were the other first-round selections made by New York. Aitcheson went back to the OHL's Barrie Colts. Meanwhile, Eklund is playing in his native Sweden for the time being.
The Islanders are looking to rebound from a disappointing 2024-25 season. New York finished with 82 points this past campaign. This put them nine points back of the Montreal Canadiens for the final Wild Card spot. As a result, the Islanders missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for just the second time since 2018-19.
