OTTAWA -- Matthew Schaefer, the projected top defenseman in the 2025 NHL Draft, will be out for three months because of a broken clavicle sustained while playing for Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.
The left-shot defenseman (6-foot-2, 183 pounds), who plays for Erie of the Ontario Hockey League, was injured at 4:25 of the first period in a 3-2 shootout loss to Latvia on Dec. 27 when he lost his balance chasing down a puck in the opponent's end before crashing into the right goal post with his left shoulder.
Schaefer had surgery Monday in Ottawa. He is an A-rated skater on NHL Central Scouting's December players to watch list for the 2025 draft.
The 17-year-old is in good spirits and looks forward to returning to the ice, according to his agent Pat Morris of Newport Sports Management, Inc.
"It's unfortunate that Schaefer will miss the remainder of the World Juniors as the experience benefits every player's career, [but] this will have no impact on his draft status," NHL Central Scouting director Dan Marr said. "His play from the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and to date this season has been impressive and the upside potential makes him one of the best prospects at his position and for the overall 2025 draft class."
Schaefer missed the opening nine games of the season because of mononucleosis. He had lost his mother to breast cancer in February 2024.
He was captain for gold medal-winning Canada at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he had six points (two goals, four assists) in five games. He also had five points (one goal, four assists) to help Canada to a gold medal at the 2024 IIHF World Under-18 Championship.
Schaefer was the second-youngest player on Canada's World Junior roster, two months older than forward Gavin McKenna, who isn't eligible until the 2026 NHL Draft. Schaefer is an elite skater, can quarterback a power play and will do whatever it takes to win the puck back for his team.
He scored an empty-net goal and had an assist in Canada's 4-0 victory against Finland in the the tournament opener Dec. 26.
Schaefer had 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) and was plus-21 in 17 games for the Otters prior to leaving for World Juniors. He is one of three players in Erie history to be selected No. 1 by the franchise in the OHL draft (2023) after Ryan O'Reilly (2007) and Connor McDavid (2012).
Canada will play Czechia in the quarterfinal round of the World Juniors on Thursday (7:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, TSN).
