Matthew Schaefer skates with Islanders for the first time
Matthew Schaefer, a self-described “good talker,” chatted with Islanders’ fans and signed autographs as the center of attention at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow on Monday. The No. 1 pick in this weekend’s NHL Draft in Los Angeles enjoyed and appreciated all of it and all of it to come.
But what drew the lefthanded defenseman’s biggest smile, which remained glued to his face as he skated, was just being on the ice with teammates on the first day of the team’s summer prospect development camp. After a broken collarbone ended Schaefer’s season in December, this was the day he most anticipated, regardless of which team drafted him or where he went in the Draft.
“I was smiling ear to ear the whole time,” Schaefer said, doing a third round of media interviews in the Islanders’ dressing room after he participated with the camp’s second on-ice group. “Just to get back out there. I’ve said this a lot, hockey players don’t like watching. To get all the equipment on to play with other guys and getting out there was a big thing for me. I just can’t wait to start working as hard as I can this summer so I make that opening night roster.”
New Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche gleefully selected Schaefer – ranked first among North American skaters by the NHL’s Central Scouting Bureau and widely considered to have the best skating ability in the draft regardless of position – first overall on Friday night. The 6-2, 185-pound Schaefer, still 17 until Sept. 5, had seven goals and 15 assists in 17 OHL games before being sidelined.
He, fellow first-rounders Victor Eklund, a wing, and defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson, forwards Daniil Prokhorov (second round), Luca Romano (third round), Tomas Poletin (fourth round) and Jacob Kvasnicka (seventh round), defenseman Sam Laurila (fifth round) and goalie Burke Hood (sixth round) gave Darche nine-for-nine participation at the camp for his draft choices.
All, including Schaefer, are expected to participate in the camp’s Blue and White scrimmage on Wednesday night at the team’s practice facility, which will also be open to the public.
“It will be good to get some game-like situations back in my game and get that feel,” Schaefer said. “It should be good. I know fans will be here. Work hard, see where you’re at. It’s going to be amazing.”
Darche drew high marks for his first draft as Islanders’ GM. Schaefer earned some praise from some of his new teammates in the organization on Monday.
“I kind of know him a little bit,” said defenseman Isaiah George, who played 33 games for the Islanders last season. “We’re working out together at the same gym this summer so we’ve kind of been hanging out. He’s a really good kid, super humble. The way he goes about his business is super professional. You wouldn’t realize he’s a first-round pick, just how humble he is.”
Schaefer and George, along with veteran Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech, are part of a group working with former NHL defenseman Mark Giordano this offseason.
Cole Eiserman, the 20th overall pick last summer who is back for a second prospect camp, also took quick notice of Schaefer skating in his group.
“The way he skates is effortless,” Eiserman said. “He’s unbelievable. They picked him here for a reason. He’s going to be a 15-year, 20-year NHLer. Because if you do skate like that, you’ll be all right for a while.”
Schaefer has said several times he knows the real work starts now.
It was a whirlwind week for him, with all the pre-draft activities and anticipation as to whether he would, as expected, be selected first. After he was, the Islanders flew Schaefer, Eklund and Aitcheson from Los Angeles to Long Island on Saturday on a private jet.
Schaefer said they were all exhausted.
“I want one now,” Schaefer said, laughing, asked about his first trip on a private jet. “A little too much money. I’ve only got some nickels in the bank right now. I was telling my dad, I’ve got to start making a savings so by the time I’m done playing I can maybe get one by then.”
He certainly won’t afford one on an entry-level contract.
After that, though, the sky is expected to be the limit for Schaefer, both on the ice and financially.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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