WINNIPEG, Manitoba — I saw Matthew Schaefer’s future Saturday night.
The future wore No. 43 for the Wild, skated 30:37, had three assists, eight shots on goal and is one of two players who can lay claim to the title of best defenseman in the world right now.
Schaefer’s own brilliance for the Islanders at age 18 has raised questions about how he can top this amazing rookie season, where he can be better, what he will look like in his prime if he can do this already. Well, Quinn Hughes turned 26 in October and Schaefer, whose skating, edgework and offensive ability provide a natural comparable, might just look a whole lot like he does once he hits that age.
“Quinn’s obviously such a skilled player,” Schaefer told The Post. “… He’s very skilled, very fun to watch. They got a great team over there as well. It’s fun to play against them because you’re always challenging yourself at all lines of the ice.”
