"With seven goals in his last eight games and four goals in the three games since the Olympic break, the rookie phenom has reached 20 goals on the season, making him only the second Islanders defenseman to accomplish the feat, joining Potvin."
"With the current run of goals for Schaefer, he's put himself up there with the NHL's elite, currently tied for second in goals among all defensemen, tied with Zach Werenski, trailing only Jakob Chychrun, who has 22."
"Hey, if I wasn't playing a game, I'd be smiling and super happy. But I got to stay dialed in as much as I can. But when I hear that with the crowd, that gets me super fired up, and it's so fun. I want to score every night."
Matthew Schaefer has emerged as a dominant rookie defenseman for the New York Islanders, drawing comparisons to legendary defenseman Denis Potvin. The 18-year-old has reached 20 goals this season, joining Potvin as the only Islanders defensemen to accomplish this feat. Schaefer has been particularly prolific recently, scoring seven goals in his last eight games and four goals in three games following the Olympic break. Currently tied for second in goals among all NHL defensemen with Zach Werenski at 21 goals, he trails only Jakob Chychrun's 22. With 21 games remaining, Schaefer could potentially reach 30 goals. The Islanders crowd has embraced the young phenom, chanting his name during games, which motivates him to continue his exceptional performance.
Read at Eyes On Isles
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