Schaefer ‘in good hands’ living with former Islanders forward Martin, family

ELMONT, N.Y. -- Matt Martin and his wife, Sydney, were preparing for a long drive back to Long Island, the tail end of a family trip this past February to Lake Placid, New York. 

With bulky clothes for two adults and four children under the age of 6 -- including twin boys yet to celebrate their first birthday -- Sydney had an idea.

“I’m going to run to Walgreens,” she told Matt.

“Why?”

“We’re driving, so I’m just going to toss all of the dirty clothes into trash bags.”

It made sense.

Waiting for them back home was Matthew Schaefer, a salt-of-the-earth young man who had been living with them for about six months after being the No. 1 pick by the New York Islanders in the 2025 NHL Draft.

“This story will never go away,” Schaefer told NHL.com.

The defenseman, still 18 at the time but well on his way to winning the Calder Trophy as the League’s top rookie, saw Matt and Sydney pull into the driveway and was eager to help them unload the car.

“(The clothes) were in grocery bags,” Schaefer tried to explain. “I should have known it had clothes in it. I thought it was like dirty diapers or something … I don’t know.

“I didn’t hear her say, ‘Put it in the laundry room.’”

Instead, Schaefer placed the bags in the mudroom, where the Martins put their garbage. The clothes were tossed on a sanitation truck the next day.

Martin informed Schaefer of his error when it came to realization a few days later.

“‘Marty’ looks over at me and goes, ‘Hey, Numbnuts!’” Schaefer said. 

“It was the first time we gave him any responsibility in our house -- and the last,” Martin said. “We sent him back to doing nothing but playing with the kids.”

That’s hardly a punishment for Schaefer, who has essentially become a family member within the Martin household, an older brother for Windsor (Winnie), Alice, Henning (Henry) and Theodore (Bear). The twin boys turned 1 in June and won’t remember this time of their lives, but the bond Schaefer has developed with the girls -- Winnie turned 6 in July and Alice turns 4 in November -- is on full display in nearly every video Sydney shares on social media.

“I think I’ve always wanted sisters,” Schaefer said at the end of last season. “The only people who really boss me around are those two girls. They kind of own me in a way.”

Schaefer is wealthier than most his age -- he only turned 19 on Sept. 5 -- but he’s also experienced more emotional trauma than any teenager should. He lost his mother, Jennifer, to breast cancer in February 2024, two months after his billet mother, Emily Matson, died in an apparent suicide. Upon his arrival on stage at the 2025 draft, the Islanders presented him with a home blue jersey with his name and No. 25 on the back -- and a purple Hockey Fights Cancer ribbon sewn on the left chest. With tears streaming down his face, Schaefer gave the ribbon a kiss.

It was love at first sight between Schaefer and the Islanders, even if neither party knew just how special he’d be right out of the gate. After all, he was limited to 17 games with Erie of the Ontario Hockey League in 2024-25 after he broke his clavicle while playing for Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Sure, it’s laughable now with Schaefer playing his second season with Islanders, but there were questions leading into last season about whether Schaefer would play in the NHL right away. If that was going to be the case, where would he live?

“I get people wanting to give back and whatever, but there were some pregnant moms there,” his father, Todd Schaefer, told NHL.com. “I didn’t want to put somebody out doing goodwill. … He was still in a vulnerable state with his mom. The pressures of hockey … I didn’t know if he was even going to be in the NHL; like, nobody knew. We didn’t get too far ahead.”

Over the course of that summer, Schaefer started visiting teammates and their families, including Bo Horvat, who was named Islanders captain Sept. 14. But a connection quickly developed between Schaefer and Martin, a longtime forward who retired after the 2024-25 season and has since become a special assistant to general manager Mathieu Darche.

Schaefer told his father where he wanted to live.

“Me and Marty hit it off so well,” Schaefer said. “I was hoping that they’d be able to bring me in with four kids. I remember like telling my dad, ‘Dad, I want to do anything I can to live with him,’ because we just hit it off.” 
 
Martin is remembered for his physicality during his playing days -- he ranks second in NHL history with 3,936 hits -- but is selfless as they come away from the rink. Having lived at the Marriott across from Nassau Coliseum as a rookie, he was more than willing to bring Schaefer in.

Todd was hesitant, only because the Martins had four young children following the arrival of the twins on June 1, 2025, just a few weeks before the draft.

“(Martin and I) talked about it and I said, ‘You’ve got to talk to Syd about it,’” Todd said. “He said, ‘I already did, and she loves him.’”

It has turned out to be the perfect landing spot for Schaefer. Matt, Sydney (daughter of former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason) and the Martin children have provided a home away from Schaefer’s first home (Stoney Creek, Ontario), from his dad, older brother Johnny, and of course, his mother/guardian angel, who watches every day from above.

Todd was invited by the Martins for U.S. Thanksgiving last November. Over the course of the day, there was NFL football on the television, Matthew taking time to play mini-sticks in the basement with the girls and hanging out in the backyard, tossing a football around with Esiason, a Long Island native (East Islip, New York) who led the Cincinnati Bengals to Super Bowl XXIII before later joining the New York Jets.

When it was time for dinner, Todd felt compelled to stand up and deliver a speech, an emotional, heartfelt thanks to the Martins for providing his son with a second home. Tears began to flow around the table.

Well, almost around the table.

“Pass the turkey already,” Martin joked.

It’s an atmosphere any parent would want their children to be in while away from home, one that makes them feel as though they are home.

“He’s just in such a great environment,” Todd said. “When he pulls out of that arena, whether it’s a good day or a bad day, nothing really sticks with him. He’s home with the girls, going to the bus stop, going to dance class. It’s not something he has to do. He loves it. When I go to bed at night, I know he’s in good hands. He’s been in such a good place from Day 1.”

The bond between Schaefer and Martin continues, whether they’re watching games together on television or goofing around in the basement.

“We wrestle a lot. He’s trying to get me a little bit tougher,” Schaefer said. “We battle, whether we play games or things like that, it’s always very competitive. We’re always looking to beat each other to have a little bit of bragging rights.”  

Schaefer was listed at 6-foot-2, 186 pounds at the time he was drafted. He returned this season an inch taller and seven pounds heavier. Perhaps at least part of that can be attributed to the “work” he’s putting in with Martin?

Or …

“It’s probably puberty,” Martin said.

* * * *

Schaefer isn’t the only young star who lived with a veteran at the start of his NHL career; it’s commonplace, from Sidney Crosby living with Mario Lemieux after going No. 1 to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2005 NHL Draft, or Macklin Celebrini, the top pick by the San Jose Sharks two years ago, living with the then-retired Joe Thornton. 
 
A few months after going No. 1 to the Islanders in the 2009 NHL Draft, John Tavares was welcomed by then-captain Doug Weight, who was 38, to live with him, his wife, Allison, and their three children -- son Danny, and daughters Ryan and Addison.

There was a day when Tavares needed to get to the Islanders practice facility, but his car was getting repairs. Weight told him he could use Allison’s Range Rover.

“Fifteen minutes later, she called me,” Weight said. “She said, ‘He’s stuck in the driveway. He backed into the tree.’ I’m like, ‘Who taught you how to drive? You didn’t even get out of the driveway?’ He was so rattled.”

“I’d forgotten about that until you brought it up for me,” Tavares told NHL.com. “Yeah, it wasn’t one of my finest moments. Doug treated me with care, and I was extremely nervous letting him know about what happened.”

The Weights had a tennis court on their property. One day, Tavares asked Allison, an avid player, if she could teach him how to serve. Danny, who was 8 at the time, was nearby.

“John throws the ball up and absolutely hammers, I mean like a 100 mile-an-hour serve, right off of Danny’s head,” Weight said. “I mean, he had a black eye.

“John was absolutely crushed for like a day and a half.”

Of course, there were far more good times than bad. Whether it was in the living room watching Tavares’ native Canada face Weight’s Team USA in the gold medal game at the 2010 Winter Olympics or just hanging out in the backyard, each looks back with fond memories.

“Dougie’s got an amazing sense of humor,” Tavares said. “When you’re just a teenager, it’s funny to pick up some of the habits that some of the young guys do when they come in. It was really eye-opening and amazing to live with someone with Dougie’s resume, the type of person he is and a family man. To see what that’s like and everything on his plate on a daily basis, you learn how to be a professional. It was a great experience for me and something I’ll always cherish. I’m thankful for Doug and Allison and his family, how they took me in and helped me out.

“I’ve got to assume it’s very similar for Schaefer. ‘Marty’s a tremendous guy and obviously a good friend. He’s got quite the family himself now. So, Schaefer’s in good hands. That’s a great spot to be in with Matty. It can only help him tremendously.”

Weight remembers what it’s like to be a rookie trying to learn the ropes as a professional. A Detroit native, he was selected by the New York Rangers in the second round (No. 34) of the 1990 NHL Draft. Upon his arrival in Manhattan, he began to quickly lean on Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman Brian Leetch for advice.

“I wasn’t able to go outside much (in Detroit); it wasn’t a great neighborhood,” said Weight, now a hockey operations adviser for the San Jose Sharks. “I didn’t know a lot about ordering in a restaurant. ‘Leetchie’ took me under his arm. I’d be like, ‘What the hell’s a feelay meegnon?’ Caesar salad? I didn’t know any of that stuff. I probably learned a lot from John as much as I could teach him. He was kind of in a different light; sheltered, but very disciplined and mature. It was fun.

“I think putting these guys in an environment where they’re given family, they’re 18 … first of all, (Schaefer) is missing his mom, he’s heartbroken … but what a year he had. You’ve got to give Matty and Sydney credit for some of that success, because I think it’s really beneficial. It’s a key part of that growing process. They’ve got themselves a special kid.

“Looking back at history without naming names, I think you’ve seen a lot of guys picked in the area where John (was) or guys picked 1-3 that didn’t have that and maybe weren’t on a team with the overused word but the important word, the ‘culture,’ the leadership, where they brought them in and taught them, instead letting them just do what they want -- you’ve seen some careers that could have been a lot better. I think it’s important for both sides.

“Having a young kid around keeps you young. We do it here in San Jose with Joe Thornton, Patty Marleau, with Mack, ‘Smitty’ (Will Smith) … living with Joe, you don’t think that helped Mack? I just think it’s a real bonus. Kudos to all the guys doing that.”

So much has happened since Tavares was drafted by the Islanders. He’s been with his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs since signing as a free agent on July 1, 2018, but he still reflects fondly on his nine seasons with New York, especially the very beginning with the Weight family.

Tavares and Martin remain friends, and he knows Schaefer is in a great spot.

“I’m very grateful for that experience I had with the Weights and what they did for me,” Tavares said. “Me and my wife definitely always want to extend that hand. It’s great to pass that along and help the next wave of guys.

“It’s funny how it goes -- it’s crazy that it was 17 years ago for me -- but that’s what makes the game great. Each generation or each next wave of players gets to go through it. Veteran guys see it and appreciate it more and help the next wave of guys coming in. Schaefer’s going to be a special player for a long time.”

Tavares, who turned 36 on Sept. 20, has paid it forward and continues to do so. Former Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies lived with Tavares and his family upon his arrival late in the 2022-23 season and during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and forward Gavin McKenna, the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, is staying at their home this season. Tavares and his wife, Aryne, have three children -- Jace, Axton and Rae, and a fourth scheduled to arrive this month.

“For me, with John welcoming me into his home, I think that just kind of shows the type of person he is,” McKenna said. “Such a good leader. And yeah, for me, I think with John, he’s been around the game for a while now and knows what it takes. For me, being a young guy, it’s huge for me to learn from a guy like that.”

Much like Schaefer with Martin’s daughters, McKenna, 18, welcomes playing games with the Tavares boys.

“You have to watch your shins,” he said. “… It’s been fun hanging out with those kids. They’re a fun time. I’ve loved it.”      

* * * *

New York is a long way from where Islanders forward Mathew Barzal grew up in Coquitlam, British Columbia, about 40 minutes outside Vancouver. Only 20 years old during his rookie season (2017-18), Barzal was welcomed by veteran defenseman Dennis Seidenberg to live with him, his wife, Rebecca, and their three children -- daughters Story and Noah, and son Breaker. They were 8, 6 and 5 at the time.

“I mean honestly, it was super fun,” Barzal said. “You get home from such a serious game and go hang out with some kids, have your dinner cooked. I wasn’t ready to cook dinner and do that kind of stuff.

“I had a blast with them, I really did. It was an awesome experience and just so nice to be at a family’s house with young kids. I never really had younger siblings like that, just to have a little brother to play hockey with downstairs. (Breaker would) come bug me and I’d yell at him. They couldn’t have been nicer. It was great.”

Seidenberg retired after that season, his 15th in the NHL, and has since moved on to work in Islanders player development. But even as a 36-year-old and near the end of his playing days at the time, he remained in phenomenal shape.

Barzal, who lived in the basement, can tell you why.

“‘Seids’ was just a workhorse,” Barzal said. “There was a time where I was sleeping downstairs early in the morning after a game, and I heard like jumping upstairs. I thought it was his kids playing, but it was him doing like this Russian lunges.

“It was kind of ridiculous. I’m like, ‘What are you doing?’ My hair was a mess, it was like 8 in the morning. He’s like, ‘I’m just getting a workout in.’ I’m like, ‘Dude, I’m trying to sleep.’ That was a funny (story).”

Perhaps Seidenberg’s work ethic and the family atmosphere he provided for Barzal played a role in the latter’s success that season. Barzal played all 82 games and led the Islanders -- who still had Tavares then -- with 85 points (22 goals, 63 assists) on the way to winning the Calder Trophy.

“That was a great experience,” Seidenberg said. “He was awesome with my kids and they really enjoyed having him around. My son loved him, they’d play video games together. He was great interacting with my kids.  

“Obviously, everything was new for him at the beginning. You’re young, you’re still getting to know everybody. You get more comfortable and figure out the person you’re going to be. There’s always growth that first year. You just love being at the rink and producing. He had what, 85 points that year? He was just being a kid and having fun. It was nice to see.”

Barzal lived on his own the following season, but having known Martin since his first training camp with the Islanders in 2015-16, he can see why the bond between him and Schaefer is so strong.  

“Matt’s the perfect guy for him to live with,” Barzal said. “He’s so polished and does things the right way. Just a good brother figure to have. Matty’s salt of the earth. It’s a good spot.”

* * * *

Schaefer played all 82 games as an 18-year-old last season. He had 59 points (23 goals, 36 assists), was plus-13 and led all first-year players by averaging a whopping 24:41 of ice time per game.

His productivity and maturity could have resulted in Schaefer being named Islanders captain as early as this season, with Anders Lee signing with the Utah Mammoth as an unrestricted free agent. The role was eventually handed to Horvat, with coach Peter DeBoer opting to name Schaefer an alternate captain on Tuesday. He will wear an “A” for all home games this season, donning it for the first time Saturday. 

DeBoer, in his first full season as Islanders coach after being hired April 5, is extremely grateful to Matt and Sydney for welcoming Schaefer into their home with open arms.

“He’s going to be a future captain of this team,” DeBoer said. "… I want him to enjoy this year. I think he’s excited about coming back and showing everybody what he can do in Year 2. There’s a lot of pressure on him, he’s going to get a lot of attention from the other teams. But he’s one of those players at the end of my coaching career I’m going to sit on a deck somewhere and think about that I got a front-row seat to watch that guy play hockey, which is pretty special.

“… There’s so much mentoring going on, that support system, when he comes home from the rink. That’s a huge factor in how early he had the success he had.”

Darche was asked in May on the day Schaefer was presented with the Calder Trophy if his top defenseman would live with the Martins again this season.

“That’s for him to answer, but I’d be surprised if he doesn’t,” Darche said.

Schaefer’s mind was already made up, as he had left the majority of his belongings at their house after the season. At this stage of his life, there’s nowhere he’d rather be.

“I kept my clothes there and said, ‘I’m coming back,’ Schaefer said. “(That way), they couldn’t say no. So, that’s it.”

Dad wanted to be sure it was OK with Matt and Sydney.

“I asked him, ‘Do you even know if they want you back?’ Todd asked his son. “Syd said later, ‘Todd, I don’t know what we’d do if he didn’t come back.’ He loves that family atmosphere.”

Perhaps it’s a match made in Heaven, with Jennifer pulling some strings to make sure her son is in good hands.

“From the moment I walked into that house, I felt like family right away,” Schaefer said. “They’ve been awesome. I love all their kids. They do so much for me. It means a lot. It goes such a long way. I feel so comfortable there.”

As thankful as the Schaefers are, the feeling is mutual.

“He’s so mature beyond his years as a professional,” Martin said. “He really is a lot of fun for us at home. The way he is with our kids, these are memories our kids are going to have, that we’re going to have, that really last a lifetime. We don’t take it for granted how special it is for us, either.

“We’re certainly not going to take any credit for what he’s done, because it’s quite amazing what he’s done out there. I wouldn’t take the blame if he didn’t play well and I’m not going to take the credit that he’s on his way to being a superstar in this league. All that goes to him. Obviously, he’s got a great head on his shoulders. For a kid that’s been through as much as he has, to do what he’s done is quite impressive. I think the most impressive thing about him is his ability to stay a kid.”

“He’s exactly where he’s supposed to be,” Todd said. “It couldn’t have been a better year on the ice for Matthew, but a portion of that definitely correlates with how good off the ice it’s been for him. There’s a direct correlation between the two, and nobody could tell me any different.”

NHL.com senior writer Amalie Benjamin and staff writer Mike Zeisberger contributed to this report