21 Facts Behind Islanders Defenseman Matthew Schaefer’s Calder Trophy-Winning Season
From historic scoring milestones to defensive dominance, discover the remarkable numbers and defining moments that fueled the teenage sensation’s meteoric rise to becoming the NHL’s top rookie.
New York Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer was named the 2025-26 Calder Trophy winner on Wednesday. Schaefer became: The sixth Islanders player to win the Calder: Mathew Barzal (2018, Bryan Berard (1997), Mike Bossy (1978), Bryan Trottier (1976), and Denis Potvin (1974). The 13th first overall pick to win the Calder The eighth player to win the award during his age-18 season The fourth-ever defenseman to win the award The youngest Calder winning in NHL history at 18 years, 223 days old (Nathan MacKinnon, 2013-14 was 18 years, 224 days)t The first unanimous Calder winner since Winnipeg Jets forward Teemu Selanne in 1993 The youngest defenseman in NHL history to reach 20 goals and 50 points in a season The first rookie defenseman to score 20 goals and just the fourth rookie defenseman to ever reach that milestone The youngest player in league history to score an overtime goal The youngest blueliner to record a power-play goal, game-winning goal, multi-goal game, and have a point in his NHL debut The fifth Islanders rookie to play in all 82 games and just the third rookie defenseman in franchise history to do so Schaefer: Recorded the most points by an 18-year-old defenseman in NHL history (59) Avegared 24:41, the most by an 18-year-old skater in NHL history Recorded the most overtime points by a teenager (4) Logged 31:59 TOI on March 24, the most by a teenager since TOI tracking began Led all rookies in average time on ice, power-play goals (8), and shots on goal (222), while tying for first in goals and overtime goals (2) Ranked second in goals (23), shots on goal (222), and power play goals (8) amongst all NHL defenseman Ranked ninth in takeaways (38) Drew 38 penalties, the most by a rookie defenseman since P.
K. Subban (40 in 2010-11) Set the Islanders' rookie defenseman franchise record for goals, points, power-play goals, overtime goals, and game-winning goals Scored the sixth most goals by an Islanders defenseman in a season and the most by an Islanders blueliner since Denis Potvin (1981-1982)