Matthew Schaefer is sticking in the NHL.
The No. 1 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft officially made the New York Islanders roster Monday, the culmination of a rise in the rankings that saw his name called first back in June.
Schaefer will make his NHL debut when the Islanders open their season Thursday against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh (7 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, MSGSN, TVAS).
"It's going to be pretty cool,” Schaefer said on Tuesday. “I mean, obviously, I've been playing in the NHL [in the preseason] and playing against guys like that, but when you get on the ice, you’ve just got to zone it out. I mean, everyone's out there to play hockey; I mean, you really don't think about who you're going up against. Obviously, you've got to know what kind of style they play, like a little faster, all that stuff. But I think just going out there, putting your head down, working through it and just working is going to be the big thing. I don't want to go out there and just be like, ‘Oh, I'm going up against him.
“… I'm looking to play to the best of my ability. There's lots of ways that I can learn to do that. So, I can't wait to play the first game."
It’s a big jump for the defenseman, who played last season with Erie of the Ontario Hockey League and was limited to 17 games and 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) after breaking his clavicle Dec. 27 while playing for Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship. Schaefer played 56 games the previous season for Erie and had 17 points (three goals, 14 assists).
He only turned 18 on Sept. 5, but Schaefer is potentially an elite two-way defenseman who brings impressive skating and puck-moving abilities to New York’s blue line. He spent much of the preseason paired with veteran defenseman Scott Mayfield as he learns how to make the transition to the NHL.
"I know how special it will be for him, because it was very special for me when I started my career, and it's funny because it was in Pittsburgh,” Islanders coach Patrick Roy said on Tuesday. “My first start of my career was in Pittsburgh, and same thing for him.
“So happy for him. He deserves it. He played hard, practiced hard, so it's the beginning of a new journey for him and for the Islanders organization."
Schaefer endured multiple hardships during his rise to the NHL, losing both his mother and billet mom in the two years before he was drafted. His poise and resolve on and off the ice continue to impress the Islanders.
Schaefer was the fifth defenseman picked No. 1 since 2000, and first since Owen Power, who was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in 2021. The others were Rasmus Dahlin (Sabres, 2018), Aaron Ekblad (Florida Panthers, 2014) and Erik Johnson (St. Louis Blues, 2006).
“Being an 18-year-old playing professional hockey in the NHL in a market like New York, his maturity really gave me confidence that it won’t be an issue,” Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche said. “That’s what comforts me -- he’s ready for this. We’ll start the season and see where it goes. He’s proven that he deserves to be in the lineup on Thursday vs. Pittsburgh.
"The way he plays is going to dictate what we do. He's completely earned his spot on the team and in the lineup. On October 9th, he will be in the lineup and we'll take it as we go. He's been really, really impressive."
NHL.com independent correspondent Stefen Rosner contributed to this report
