With the first pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, the New York Islanders have selected Matthew Schaefer from the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).
About Matthew Schaefer
As arguably the best defenseman available in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, Matthew Schaefer has everything you hope for in a blue-chip defensive prospect. He’s a dominant presence on both ends of the ice, as he can act as a defensive stalwart in his own zone or an offensive threat when his team needs to push for a goal in the offensive zone. He is also one of those unicorn players who has that elusive combination of skating, a strong shot, great vision, an elite hockey sense, all while being big enough to survive the rigors of the NHL game.
Related: 2025 NHL Draft: Live Tracker
If not for a season-ending injury at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, Schaefer likely would have been able to further secure his status as the No. 1 pick in this class months ago. However, despite this injury and a few nitpicks about how he uses his size, there are few other holes in his game worth mentioning.
While there’s no projected generational prospect in the 2025 NHL Draft class, Schaefer has the toolkit to become a Number 1 defenseman for most teams in the league. This is the kind of prospect that’s worth taking a swing on, because the upside is a player who can secure your franchise’s blue line for the next 10 to 15 years.
THW Prospect Profile Excerpt
Schaefer has always been one of the top prospects eligible for the NHL Draft thanks to his skating and offensive abilities. He moves easily across the ice, can change directions on a dime, and sees how plays develop around him, allowing him to find space and maintain puck possession. Those skills were on full display at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Tournament and the U17 and U18 World Hockey Championships, all of which saw him take home a gold medal with Canada. However, he only had three goals and 17 points in 56 games as a rookie in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), then missed the start of the 2024-25 season with mononucleosis, which kept him out of the conversation for first overall.
Although there were concerns that he would need time to recover, when Schaefer returned on Oct. 24, just nine games into the season, he scored less than 12 minutes into the game. Thirteen games later, he had six goals and 18 points, making him a player to watch at the CHL Top Prospects Game against the United States U18 Development Program (NTDP). He did not disappoint, either. Schaefer was one of the best defencemen on the ice, using bursts of speed to create openings and smart positioning in both the offensive and defensive zones while also blocking shots and killing penalties. The performance was capped with a beautiful goal in game one, where he blew by the NTDP defender and snuck the puck just between the American goalie’s pads.
Schaefer returned to play just three games in Erie, where he scored four points, before heading off to the World Juniors in Ottawa. Although he was a surprising inclusion to Team Canada, he once again looked like the best defenceman on the team despite being the second-youngest player on the roster. This time, he showed off his incredible defensive game. He was all over the ice, playing a solid defensive game, blocking shots and throwing big hits while showing off a high-end awareness of breaking up opponent’s plays and keeping possession.
Continue reading the full player profile here.
How This Affects the Islanders’ Plans
While the Islanders organization should be incredibly excited to have the opportunity to add Schaefer to their prospect pool, they are likely aware that defensemen take time to develop, no matter how highly rated they are. While he could be able to transition to the NHL as soon as the 2025-26 season for New York, he probably shouldn’t just yet. He still needs time to grow into his body and develop an NHL-ready skillset that will allow him to dominate the league for the next decade.
Related: 2025 NHL Draft Guide
Barring a training camp where they simply can’t send him back, the Islanders should expect to let Schaefer cook for one more year before transitioning him to a protected role on their blue line. This patience will be worthwhile, as they will be building the future face of their defense if handled properly.