"We're not even 20 percent of the way through the season yet, and Matthew Schaefer has already shown the NHL universe he's going to win the Calder Trophy. He's playing at a record-breaking pace and is now pacing all NHL defensemen in goals scored. As exciting as it is, it's not normal, and Schaefer is once again showing why he deserved to have "generational talent" labeled next to his name as the 2025 NHL Draft approached."
"New York Islanders' core is coming together and Matthew Schaefer is leading it Matthew Schaefer keeps scoring like a forward, with 10 points and five goals in his first 12 career games. But keep this in mind: He's also averaging one block and a half-takeaway per game. Often, young defensemen with high potential struggle in a few areas, but Schaefer already looks like a complete player who will keep steadily improving with experience."
Matthew Schaefer has emerged as a dominant rookie defenseman, scoring at a record pace and leading NHL defensemen in goals with 10 points and five goals in 12 games. He combines offensive production with defensive contributions, averaging one block and 0.5 takeaways per game, projecting as a complete player. The Islanders' young core has improved early in the 2025-26 season, featuring Emil Heineman as a potential top scorer (five goals, seven points in 12 games), Mathew Barzal continuing strong form (nine points, three goals in 11 games), and promising recalls like Calum Ritchie earning coaching trust.
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