What Happened
Matthew Schaefer has shown no sign of a sophomore slump less than a month into the 2026-27 campaign, according to Sportsnet. The New York Islanders defenceman won the Calder Trophy in May after a rookie season in which he posted 59 points in 82 games and swept all 198 PHWA ballots. Islanders coach Pete DeBoer, hired with four games left in the 2025-26 season, said Schaefer is even better in person than on video.
Key Details
- Schaefer was the No. 1 pick at the 2025 NHL draft.
- He is the first unanimous Calder winner since Teemu Selanne in 1992-93.
- His 23 goals led all rookies, the first defenceman to do so in more than nine decades.
- He set records for points and goals by an 18-year-old defenceman.
- He averaged a team-high 24:41 of ice time as a rookie.
- DeBoer was hired by the Islanders with four games left in 2025-26.
What It Means
Schaefer's rookie season established him as one of the league's top young defencemen, and his early play this season suggests the production was not a one-off. DeBoer's arrival gives the Islanders a coach who scouted Schaefer closely while working on Canada's Olympic staff before the February Milan Cortina Games, where Schaefer was left off the roster.