"He's been out of the world for the Islanders. If he continues this pace all season, he's the front-runner for the Calder."
"He's just so smooth and already looks like the clear best defenseman on his team at 18 years old. There are so many details in his game that are going to make him an elite player for a long time."
"But there is still a bit of a fear that he may hit a wall this season due to how little hockey he's played. He's so talented, he just may overcome it, but it's tough to be this good for a young defenseman so early."
"When looking at Matthew Schaefer's numbers, it's easy to see why there's so much hype surrounding his Calder bid. Entering Thursday night's action, Schaefer has two goals and five assists for seven points in six games. He's already quarterbacking the top power play unit and has hardly looked overwhelmed this season. He's earned the confidence of coach Patrick Roy, a very tough coach to impress, leading to increased ice time."
Matthew Schaefer, an 18-year-old defenseman for the New York Islanders, has emerged as an early front-runner for the Calder Trophy due to exceptional early-season play. He has recorded two goals and five assists for seven points in six games, is quarterbacking the top power play, and has earned increased ice time. Scouts and executives compare his smooth skating and detailed game to elite defensemen like Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes. Concerns remain about limited prior ice time and potential fatigue or a performance wall, but current play shows little sign of decline.
Read at Eyes On Isles
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