Young Islanders fan battling cancer joins Schaefer for pregame interview

Matthew Schaefer brought a special guest to his chat with the Saturday Night Hockey crew.

A young fan battling cancer joined the New York Islanders defenseman during his pregame interview with the Sportsnet panel on Saturday.

Schaefer introduced the young girl, Lila, to the crew as she sat next to him on the Islanders bench before the team’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena.

Lila is currently battling cancer and met the young defenseman during a commercial shoot for Hyundai.

The adorable fan gave a wave to the camera as Schaefer sang her praises.

“She’s the best, so I got to meet her. She’s so cute,” Schaefer told the panel. “She was such a sweetheart. Let’s me give her hugs. I’m a big hugger, so she let me give her hugs, so that’s a deal breaker for me.

“She’s awesome. She’s battling something that my mom obviously battled and it’s not fair for her being so young, but she’s tough, she’s strong and she’s got this.”

In February 2024, Schaefer’s mother, Jennifer, died after battling breast cancer. The 19-year-old has since honored her memory by participating in various initiatives to support young children battling the disease.

A special family room named the Jennifer Schaefer Child Support Center is set to soon open at the Cohen Children’s Medical Center on Long Island. The young defenseman announced the partnership in May.