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Matthew Schaefer’s contract desires after Leo Carlsson, Connor Bedard mega-deals appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The New York Islanders have a gem in Matthew Schaefer. They selected the promising defenseman first overall in the 2025 NHL Draft. And he turned in one of the greatest rookie performances by a defenseman in NHL history.
Young, high-potential talent will eventually need to be paid, though. The Islanders are fortunate in this regard, as they have some time to gauge the market before going to the negotiating table. However, recent contracts for Connor Bedard and Leo Carlsson will only serve to drive up Schaefer’s value. For now, the Islanders defenseman is not worrying about any of that.
“I’ll ;et my agent think about that. I don’t need to think about that. I’m still a kid, I’m still a year away from any of that,” Schaefer told NHL.com correspondent Dave McCarthy recently. “I love Long Island, we have something so special going on there. I don’t care about the money. I just want to play the game of hockey and that’s what I love.”
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Schaefer tied the record for most goals by a rookie defenseman in a single season this past year. He and Hall of Fame defenseman Brian Leetch are the only rookie rearguards to score 23 goals in a single season. He is also one of 20 rookie defenders to score 50+ points in his debut season.
The Islanders certainly have something special on their hands. Eventually, they will need to pay their franchise defenseman the big bucks. For now, they are focused on the upcoming season and trying to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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