The New York Islanders have a budding star on their hands, and he’s making NHL history almost every night. Matthew Schaefer, just 18 years and 70 days old, delivered another breathtaking moment on Friday when he buried the overtime winner – become the youngest player in NHL history to score an overtime goal in the regular season, passing none other than Sidney Crosby, who set the previous mark at 18 years and 101 days in 2005.
It wasn’t just a milestone goal, it was a statement.
Schaefer’s winner also had a touch of personality. As cameras caught up with him after the goal, the rookie told former NHLer Cal Clutterbuck during a post-game interview: “Rubbish – you like that one, buddy?” The child is not only confident; he’s having the time of his life.
And why wouldn’t he be? He does things that experienced players dream of. With seven goals already, Schaefer leads all NHL defensemen in scoring, an absurd feat for someone who cannot legally buy a beer in the United States. Three of those goals came from long range, placing him in elite company with Sean Walker, John Carlson, Josh Morrissey and Brandon Montour – the only others with the same amount of yardage, according to NHL EDGE tracking.
Schaefer is also climbing through the record books at breakneck speed. By scoring in consecutive games, he became the third-youngest player in the past 80 years to do so, behind only Jordan Staal and Pierre Turgeon. He also established himself as the youngest defenseman in NHL history to score in consecutive games.
Islanders fans are already abuzz with exaggerations – some calling him ‘a wonder’, others joking that he ‘could be him’. But for a franchise hungry for excitement, the enthusiasm is easy to understand. Schaefer’s arrival has injected a burst of energy into the team. His poise, shot and confidence are far beyond his years, and it shows in the rankings.
With Schaefer leading the way, the Islanders also made some team history, winning three consecutive regular-season overtime games for the first time ever. The only other time they hit that streak was in the 1993 playoffs.
If Matthew Schaefer looks like this at age 18, the rest of the league might want to brace themselves. The kid isn’t just ahead of schedule, he’s rewriting it.
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