Matthew Schaefer joined “Good Morning America” on Sunday, just two days after he was selected No. 1 by the New York Islanders at the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft.
The 17-year-old defenseman talked about the moment he heard his name called.
“It was awesome. It was amazing,” Schaefer said on the show. “Lots of tears that day. Definitely got the best of me. To hear your name called is a dream come true and it’s every kid’s dream to get into the NHL. It’s such an honor to be drafted by such a great organization.”
Schaefer lost his mom, Jennifer, to breast cancer in February of 2024, and kept her close to his heart during the draft. He arrived at the draft in a suit with photos of his mother sewn on the inside, then, when he received his draft day jersey from the Islanders, the team had pinned a pink breast cancer ribbon on the sweater, along with his mom’s initials.
He showed the jersey to the hosts on the show.
“It means a lot,” he said. “It’s an honor when I get drafted by such a great team, but then they do that, it goes a long way.”
It was an emotional moment for the teenager and his father, Todd, on one of the biggest stages. On the show, Schaefer discussed his dad’s role in his life.
“He’s always there for me and my brother, obviously though the tough times,” Schaefer said. “So, to have him in my corner, and my brother, it helps a lot.”
Schaefer also discussed his brief time on Long Island so far and expressed his excitement to join the team.
After making a full recovery from his injury this season, Schaefer made it clear that he is more than ready to hit the ground – or ice – running.
“I’ve been through a lot in life, and that makes me stronger,” he said. “Injuries are really easy compared to a lot of other things. It’s just a bump in the road. Just have to work as hard as you can to get back at it.”
