Defenseman Matthew Schaefer was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft on Friday by the New York Islanders.
The 17-year-old Schaefer, the No. 1 ranked player by NHL Central Scouting, had a shortened 2024-25 season with the Ontario Hockey League’s Erie Otters after missing the first nine games due to mononucleosis and then suffering a broken clavicle during the IIHF World Junior Championship in December.
The 6-foot-2, 186-pound Schaefer recorded seven goals and 22 points in 17 games with Erie this past season.
“He does it all on the ice — defends well as an elite skater with good gap control and has the ability and smarts to consistently produce offensively,” according to NHL Central Scouting’s report on Schaefer.
“He has a great feel for the game and knows when to make a simple play, when to block a shot and how to get the job done. His puck retrievals are on point, he can skate his way out of trouble and capably lead the rush offensively. He quarterbacks the power play and is an offensive threat to score or set up teammates.”
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Schaefer is now just the fifth defenseman to be selected No. 1 overall following Owen Power (Buffalo Sabres, 2021), Rasmus Dahlin (Sabres, 2018), Aaron Ekblad (Florida Panthers, 2014) and Erik Johnson (St. Louis Blues, 2006).
Follow along for each of the 2025 first-round picks below.
2025 NHL Draft, first-round selections
1. New York Islanders: Matthew Schaefer, D – Erie (OHL)
2. San Jose Sharks: Michael Misa, C – Saginaw (OHL)
3. Chicago Blackhawks: Anton Frondell, C – Djurgardens (Sweden)
4. Utah Mammoth: Caleb Desnoyers, C – Moncton (QMJHL)
5. Nashville Predators: Brady Martin, C – Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
6. Philadelphia Flyers: Porter Martone, RW – Brampton (OHL)
7. Boston Bruins: James Hagens, C – Boston College
8. Seattle Kraken: Jake O’Brien, C – Brantford (OHL)
9. Buffalo Sabres: Radim Mrtka, D – Seattle (WHL)
10. Anaheim Ducks: Roger McQueen, C – Brandon (WHL)
11. Pittsburgh Penguins: Benjamin Kindel, C – Calgary (WHL)
12. Philadelphia Flyers: Jack Nesbitt, C – Windsor (OHL) * trade with Penguins
13. Detroit Red Wings: Carter Bear, LW – Everett (WHL)
14. Columbus Blue Jackets: Jackson Smith, D – Tri-City (WHL)
15. Vancouver Canucks: Braeden Cootes, C – Seattle (WHL)
16. New York Islanders: Viktor Eklund, RW – Djurgardens (Sweden)
17. New York Islanders: Kashawn Aitcheson, D – Barrie (OHL)
18. Calgary Flames: Cole Reschny, C – Victoria (WHL)
19. St. Louis Blues: Justin Carbonneau, RW – Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)
20. Columbus Blue Jackets: Pyotr Andreyanov, G – CSKA Jr. (Russia)
21. Nashville Predators: Cameron Reid, D – Kitchener (OHL) * trade with Ottawa Senators
22. Pittsburgh Penguins: Bill Zonnon, RW – Royun-Noranda (QMJHL)
23. Ottawa Senators: Logan Hensler, D – Wisconsin
24. Pittsburgh Penguins: William Horcoff, C – Michigan
25. Chicago Blackhawks: Vaclav Nestrasil, RW – Muskegon (USHL)
26. Nashville Predators: Ryker Lee, RW – Madison (USHL)
27. Washington Capitals: Lynden Lakovic, LW – Moose Jaw (WHL)
28. Winnipeg Jets: Sascha Boumedienne, D – Boston University
29. Chicago Blackhawks: Mason West, C – Fargo (USHL)
30. San Jose Sharks: Joshua Ravensbergen, G – Prince George (CHL)
31. Los Angeles Kings: Henry Brzustewicz, D – London (CHL)
32. Calgary Flames: Cullen Potter, C – Arizona State
