What’s Next for Islanders’ Matthew Schaefer After Calder Win? – Hockey Writers – New York Islanders

At the age of 18, New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer became the youngest Calder winner in NHL history, beating Nathan MacKinnon’s previous mark on the day. He received all 198 first-place votes, becoming the first unanimous Calder winner since Teemu Selanne in 1992-93.

It was the worst-kept secret in hockey, and for good reason. For voters, there was no doubt. This was Schaefer’s year. Now comes the hard part. Winning the Calder is one thing, but becoming the superstar the Islanders need him to be over the next decade is another.

While Schaefer completely changed the conversation about the franchise, what follows proves that it wasn’t just an epic rookie season but the start of something bigger. The Islanders are building on the idea that he can be one of, if not, the best defensemen in the league. That’s a very different kind of pressure.

Schaefer is still a star

Schaefer’s rookie season was historic. He played all 82 games and finished with 23 goals and 59 points. He also finished plus-13 while averaging 24:41 of ice time. That’s unheard of for a young defenseman. He tied Brian Leetch’s NHL record for goals by a rookie defenseman with 23 and broke Phil Housley’s record for points by an 18-year-old defenseman.

However, what is most impressive is how comfortable he looked in all the games. He was on the offensive, carried pucks under constant pressure, jumped into the offense without looking careless and used his skating to recover when plays broke down. He was the best player on the ice many times.

That’s what makes this season so special. Schaefer could have been handled or protected for easy minutes. He was driving to play himself. The puck ran to him because he had to, and the Islanders had a confidence game when he was on the ice.

Next Step Works Well

Schaefer already does all the little things well. His ability to freely tilt the ice in his favor has changed the way the Islanders approach games this season. Can he score 70 points next season? Of course. His ability to create offense from the blue line is already one of the Islanders’ biggest weapons, but continued growth will be seen in how cleanly he controls games.

His next leap will be to pick his spots better and manage his workload. You will be better at choosing when to attack, when to hold the pressure, and when to kill the game early. There’s another gear or two we’ve yet to see from Schaefer.

The Islanders Must Help Him

Islanders cannot afford to waste this opportunity. Schaefer has changed the direction of the franchise, but the Islanders still need more speed and more support around him. If they expect him to drag an aging roster into contention, they’re asking for trouble.

The next few years require building the blue line, finding a reliable teammate who can defend, move pucks quickly, and let Schaefer do his thing. They need to give him top players who can finish with the opportunities he creates, and above all, a strong game that does not waste his ability by standing like traffic cones.

What Islanders Can Expect

Over the next few seasons, I expect Schaefer to be a regular Norris Trophy candidate. He is still the best player on the Islanders and one of the most important players on his team in the NHL. If his rookie campaign is any indication, the next few years are going to be very interesting.

That doesn’t mean everything will be perfect. Teams are getting used to him. He will see tighter matchups and get more attention every time he touches the puck. There will likely be nights when he tries to do too much, especially if the Islanders struggle to create offense around him.

But that’s part of the next step. Great players learn to handle that attention and still dominate games. Schaefer can still do it all; now it’s about turning that flash of dominance into something that can be seen every night.