The New York Islanders lost a tough game against the Ottawa Senators, but it was rookie Matthew Schaefer who almost helped them get the win. Schaefer has been a bright spot for the Isles this season, and he made history in this game, becoming the youngest defenseman in NHL history to hit the 50-point mark.
Schaefer surpassed Phil Housley's record when he was with the Buffalo Sabres. Those two are the only 18-year-olds to hit 50 career points in NHL history.
So far this season, Schaefer has accumulated 21 goals and 29 assists for 50 points in 69 games. He's currently third in rookie scoring behind Ivan Demidov, and he leads all rookies in goals.
Ex-Islanders captain John Tavares recently spoke about Schaefer and believes that he can be a star in this league.
“He’s not just a franchise player but he’s certainly put himself in the conversation to be a generational type of talent,” Tavares said, via Ethan Sears of The New York Post.
Unfortunately, the Islanders were not able to get the win, which also had some playoff implications. The Islanders were looking to stay ahead of the Senators in the standings, who entered the game six points behind them. With the loss, the Islanders are now outside of the playoff race and will have to continue to fight for the rest of the season to get back where they need to.
Schaefer will have to continue his spectacular rookie season if the Islanders want a chance at making the playoffs, and there should be no doubt that he can do it.
