Every hockey fan knew that Matthew Schaefer was going to be good, and a guy that would change the Islanders franchise for the better, however what we didn’t know is how good he would actually become only six games into his NHL career. He clearly loves it in New York, and no matter how good or bad they are he has the dedication which raises the question, how long will it be before Matthew Schaefer becomes the next captain in the Big Apple?
After being selected first overall by the New York Islanders in this year's NHL draft, elite defenseman Matthew Schaefer officially became the cornerstone of the Islanders rebuild, and would be the guy they hoped would become their franchise guy. Well, six games into his rookie year, Matthew Schaefer looks more than just NHL ready, and after averaging almost 25 minutes of ice time in his first six games, he is already becoming one of the Islanders most important players.
With the aging leadership in Long Island looking like it may well be coming to an end, it really isn’t that much of a long shot to suggest that in two to three years, Schaefer could earn himself a C on his chest, and become the young leader the Islanders fanbase have been yearning for. If he continues playing how he has been during the first handful of NHL games, Schaefer will only continue to grow as a player and a person, and with time comes leadership.
Schaefer, who has settled in nicely in New York is already becoming a big voice on the ice, and isn’t particularly your average rookie. Getting 20+ minutes of ice time each game, and becoming a top pairing defenseman at only 18 really speaks volumes about how good he can truly become with time, and just like we are currently seeing with Macklin Celebrini in San Jose, it is only a matter of time before Schaefer becomes a massive locker room presence for New York.
When we think about some of the youngest captains ever in the NHL, we have Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Gabriel Landeskog, and Jonathan Toews, and it is hard to see Matthew Schaefer not being a captain or even alternate captain in a short space of time, and with what he is promising to bring the Islanders, and what his scope looks like, Matthew Schaefer could easily be next on that list, and whether it is 19, 20, or 25, Schaefer is destined to lead the Islanders, and could well be a future championship winning captain in Long Island.