Schaefer came into the season with high expectations as the No. 1 pick in the draft and exceeded them almost instantly, emerging as one of the best defencemen in the league.
He finished first among rookie defencemen and third among NHL rookies with 59 points, and his 23 goals were tied with Brian Leetch for the most ever by an NHL rookie defenceman, a record that lasted for 37 years.
His 221 shots were second on the team to Bo Horvat’s 226, and his eight power-play goals and 18 power-play points led the team.
Schaefer did all this while being the youngest player in the league. But on Islanders breakup day, the 18-year-old remained humble.
“It’s crazy to think that I’d be playing in the NHL this year,” Schaefer said. “I was going to NHL games as a fan last year, up top in the nosebleeds with my brother and parents. It’s a dream come true. I can’t thank this organization enough, and all my teammates, staff and everyone. It was an amazing year. I got to learn so much.”
On top of all his accolades, Schaefer also led the Islanders with a plus-13 rating, ranked third with 111 blocked shots, and led the team in average time on ice, skating 24:41 a night.
Teammates say the young defenceman has already altered the trajectory of the franchise.
“I think right from game one, having a d-man on the ice like that for 25, 30 minutes a night, changed the whole complexity of how we play the game,” Mathew Barzal said. “My whole career I’ve been jealous of Colorado (with Cale Makar) and Quinn Hughes in Vancouver. To finally have our guy, it’s huge.”
Throughout the year, Schaefer spent the season living with Matt Martin, now a special assistant to the general manager and former Islander, and his family. This situation helped ease the transition while being away from his father and brother, who live in Hamilton, Ont.
Schaefer’s journey has also been shaped by personal loss. His mother, Jennifer, passed away from breast cancer in February of 2024.
“I wish my mom could be here too,” Schaefer said. “I’d love to see her reaction with the fans. I wish she could be at the games, and I could give her a big hug after. At the end of the day, she’s always with us in spirit. My dad, my brother and I looked up to my mom so much, and she was the backbone of our family, and the strongest person in our family, and the boss, for sure. She’s someone that you always think about it and will never get off your mind.”
For a team looking to turn the page, Schaefer may just be exactly what the Islanders needed.