"Denis was two years older and much more mature physically and emotionally,"
"That's a big difference. When you're 18, you're not physically developed, you're not emotionally developed. It's a big step for a young fellow."
"I watched an 18-year-old defenseman come into the NHL with Bobby Orr,"
"He was probably 5-foot-9 or 10 and weighed like 160 pounds. In two years, he was 6-foot tall and weighed 205. And we didn't work out like these guys. It can happen (making the NHL at that age). But it's very unusual."
Ed Westfall observed the Islanders practice at the Ed Westfall Arena in Calverton as the team concluded a bonding trip on Eastern Long Island. Westfall noted Matthew Schaefer's skill and maturity at age 18 while emphasizing the difficult transition to the NHL for a defenseman. Westfall compared Schaefer to earlier young defensemen he saw with Bobby Orr in 1966 and Denis Potvin in 1973, highlighting physical and emotional development and the value of support systems like family teammates. Schaefer secured a spot on the Islanders' opening-night roster and interacted warmly with local youth after practice.
Read at Newsday
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