Schaefer, No. 1 pick in 2025 NHL Draft, must ‘earn my spot’ with Islanders

ARLINGTON, Va. -- Matthew Schaefer was the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, but the rookie defenseman isn't taking a roster spot with the New York Islanders for granted.

"You don't just get stuff given to you, right? You've got to earn it," Schaefer said Wednesday. "You've got to earn your spot. I mean, [I] still have to earn my spot on the team, and that's what I'm going into (training) camp to do. Still a lot of hard work.

“It's going to take time, but I'm ready and I can't wait to just get into camp. So once we get going, get underway, I'll be super excited."

Schaefer was limited to 17 games last season with Erie of the Ontario Hockey League because of a season-ending broken collarbone sustained Dec. 27 while playing for Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship. He was cleared for contact in May and has spent most of his offseason training on and off the ice with a group that includes NHL forwards Sean Monahan (Columbus Blue Jackets), Nazem Kadri (Calgary Flames) and Scott Laughton (Toronto Maple Leafs).

"They have that work ethic where you want to learn from them," said Schaefer, who turns 18 on Friday. "And going up against them, it makes me a lot better player when you're going on a 2-on-1 vs. them, and they're trying to score on you and you're trying to stop them. I think just on and off the ice, bettering my game, and having that compete vs. those guys. They're making moves on me, I can better my game by stopping them, and they always want to beat me. So, it's very competitive, but it's awesome."

He paused the competitiveness Wednesday as one of 31 players taking part in the NHLPA Rookie Showcase at MedStar Capitals Iceplex, the practice facility for the Washington Capitals. The event included the players getting photographed for their first Upper Deck hockey cards and scanned for EA Sports video games.

It allowed him to put on his full Islanders uniform, with his name and No. 48 on it, for the first time.

"Yeah, pretty cool," Schaefer said. "Obviously it's been a dream. Still lots of hard work. ... It's every kid's dream to put on this jersey, and to put on the New York Islander jersey is pretty cool. I love the orange, white and blue. I feel good in it. I don't know if I look good in it, because of my looks, but I feel amazing in it."

Schaefer wasn't the only one who thought he looked good in his Islanders gear.

"Everyone on the island is excited to have him," said New York forward Marc Gatcomb, who also attended the showcase after having nine points (eight goals, one assist) in 39 games for the Islanders last season. "The first overall pick is a huge thing, and to get a guy with that talent and that caliber, and his personality, I think we're all very happy to have him, and super excited. So, I'm excited. I'm excited to see him out there.

"He's a very genuine, humble kid. Couldn't be nicer. He's super happy, and he's always got a smile on his face no matter what. From what I've gathered so far, he just seems like a very, very good kid."

Schaefer was the youngest player at the showcase. Gatcomb, who turned 26 on July 22, was the oldest and also the one who took the most circuitous route to the NHL.

Gatcomb played four seasons at the University of Connecticut and signed an American Hockey League contract with Abbotsford, the Vancouver Canucks’ affiliate, for the 2022-23 season. He spent part of that season with Kalamazoo of the ECHL and then played another season with Abbotsford in 2023-24.

He signed a one-year contract with the Islanders on July 2, 2024, and began last season with Bridgeport of the AHL before making his NHL debut Jan. 14.

Gatcomb signed another one-year contract with New York on July 6.

"I'm very appreciative of the opportunity and all the stuff that kind of happened the last year," Gatcomb said. "I know that there's still a lot of work to do, and I'm just trying to take it all in and appreciate every moment."

He spent some of those moments going through the different on- and off-ice stations with Schaefer on Wednesday. They'll be on the ice full time when training camps around the NHL open Sept. 17.

If Schaefer makes the team, in the span of his first two games he'd face Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin; the Islanders open the season at Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 9, then take on Ovechkin and the Capitals two days later in what would be Schaefer's first regular-season home game.

"I've definitely heard," Schaefer said about the schedule. "A lot of people have been telling me about that. I got to look at it quickly. But I'll focus day by day, one at a time.

"Pittsburgh is not too far from my house (in Hamilton, Ontario), not far from Erie either. A lot of people told me they're going to come to that, so you better be playing. I mean, those are two great players, and those are two games that I really want to be in."

Schaefer sees those games as something to focus on down the road. For now, he just wants to make the NHL roster.

"Still lots of hard work," he said. "When training camp comes, I think I've got to really prove a point and show them what I'm capable of, still got to make the team. I want to be in that opening night roster. So, still lots of hard work."