LOS ANGELES — The New York Islanders chosen gifted defenseman Matthew Schaefer with the No. 1 decide within the NHL draft Friday evening.
The Islanders shocked no person through the use of their first No. 1 choice since 2009 on the 17-year-old Schaefer, a 6-foot-2 blueliner from Hamilton, Ontario, who spent the previous two seasons with the Ontario Hockey League’s Erie Otters. He performed solely 17 video games final season — accumulating seven objectives and 22 factors — earlier than breaking his collarbone in December, however Schaefer’s acumen on each ends of the ice nonetheless propelled him to the highest of almost all draft boards.
An elite puck-mover and sensible skater with a top-end, two-way transition recreation, Schaefer has nice poise, posture and edges that enable him to not solely carry play from finish to finish however shut shortly on opponents, shut down the frenzy and be a playmaker in his personal proper.
Schaefer is simply the fifth defenseman drafted No. 1 general within the NHL draft since 2000, and the primary since Owen Energy went to Buffalo in 2021.
Schaefer persevered by tragedy to achieve this milestone. His mom, Jennifer, died of most cancers 16 months in the past. When Schaefer pulled on his Islanders sweater for the primary time, he kissed the pink ribbon patch on the chest representing breast most cancers consciousness earlier than breaking into tears.
The San Jose Sharks, deciding on second, took Saginaw Spirit heart Michael Misa, an offensive pressure whose eager defensive intuition matches his pure scoring and playmaking expertise.
At 6-foot-1, Misa brings physicality and bodily sacrifice too to offer him a really well-rounded recreation. His transfer completely again to heart this season additionally confirmed how he’ll insert himself by all sides of the sport and he can fill that prime six ahead function within the NHL.
This yr’s draft lacks the centralized construction that has lengthy been a staple; the 32 groups’ numerous executives are principally at house, not strewn throughout the draft ground on the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles.
However the gamers chosen within the first spherical Friday nonetheless will take the stage to cheers from their households and hockey followers earlier than they start their careers.
ESPN’s Kristen Shilton and The Related Press contributed to this report.
