When the New York Islanders selected Matthew Schaefer with the number one overall draft pick in the 2025 National Hockey League (NHL) Draft, the hockey world knew it was getting something special. Less than five months later, the 18-year-old defensemen from Hamilton, Ontario, is rewriting the record books. 

Born Sept. 5, 2007, Schaefer turned 18 just 34 days before making his NHL debut on Oct. 9, 2025, playing against the Pittsburgh Penguins. In that 4-3 loss he recorded an assist, instantly becoming the youngest defensemen in league history to register a point in his debut, surpassing Scott Niedermayer’s mark from 1991. 

“It’s so crazy to see kids the same age as him [Schaefer] walking the halls and think there’s someone making waves in the NHL right now,” Luca Sbei, freshman hockey fan, said.

Two nights later on Oct. 11 playing against the Washington Capitals, Schaefer scored his first NHL goal in a 4-2 defeat, making him the second youngest defensemen to do so, trailing Ross Johnstone of the 1943-1944 Toronto Maple Leafs. 

 From Oct. 9-21, Schaefer wasted no time stacking milestones and posted points in his first six games (2 goals, 5 assists), tying Nashville’s Marek Židlický (2003) for the longest season-opening point streak by a rookie defenseman in NHL history.

By the end of Oct., Schaefer had eight points (3 goals, 5 assists) in 11 games and was named the NHL’s rookie of the month, the first defenseman to claim the honor in the opening month since a teenage defensemen Chris Pronger in 1993-1994.

“It’s pretty incredible. But it feels like in the room, that’s just who he [Schaefer] is. He’s had his game from the get-go. The last month-and-a-half, it’s surprising, but it’s not.” Islanders captain Anders Lee said in a post game interview. “I get to play with him every day at practice and see him in the games. He’s just a hell of a hockey player and is making a big difference on this team and in our back end.”

On Nov. 2 against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Schaefer scored twice in a 3-2 victory, becoming the youngest defenseman in league history to record a multi-goal game at 18 years, 58 days old, besting Bobby Orr’s mark from 1966.

Less than two weeks later, on Nov. 14, Schaefer scored the overtime winner against the Utah Mammoth, becoming the youngest player (18 years, 70 days) in NHL history to score a regular-season overtime goal, surpassing Pittsburgh’s centre, Sidney Crosby’s record set in 2005.

“He’s a great player. Unbelievable,” Islanders goaltender David Rittich said in a post game interview. “18 years old and playing that way, with that much confidence, tells you everything you need.”

As of Nov. 17, 2025, Schaefer leads all NHL defensemen in goals and sits atop the rookie scoring race with double-digit points. With five goals and five assists through his first 12 games, he joined defensemen Phil Housley (1982-1983) as the only 18-year-old defensemen in league history to reach 10 points that quickly.

The road to this historic start wasn’t without adversity. Schaefer missed the first nine games of the 2024-25 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) season with mononucleosis, a contagious disease that results in extreme fatigue, a fever, a sore throat and swollen lymph nodes. 

During Schaefer’s missed game he was also grieving the passing of Erie Otters owner, mentor and family friend Jim Waters. Just days after returning on Dec. 27, representing Canada at the 2025 World Junior Championship in Ottawa, Schaefer broke his clavicle ending his junior season.

Yet none of these hardships has slowed him down at the NHL level.

“One day you could be playing your best game then an injury takes out your whole season and you don’t play the same way you did,” Sbei said. “To come back with the points [Schaefer] has gotten so far is just insane.”

Schaefer is the fifth defenseman ever taken with the No. 1 overall pick since 2000,  joining Owen Power (2021, Buffalo), Rasmus Dahlin (2018, Buffalo), Aaron Ekblad (2014, Florida) and Erik Johnson (2006, St. Louis), and the initial game play suggests he may surpass them all.

18 years and 73 days into his life, Matthew Schaefer is breaking NHL records, broadcasting a great start to his rookie year. 

As general manager and executive vice president of the Islanders organization, Mathieu Darche, put it after the draft: “We didn’t just draft the best player available. We drafted a kid who’s going to change what we think is possible on the blue line.”