NY Islanders’ No.1 Pick Matthew Schaefer Pays EMOTIONAL Tribute to Late Mother During 2025 Draft

Matthew Schaefer was selected as the No.1 overall pick by the New York Islanders during the 2025 NHL Draft on Friday.

NY Islanders’ No.1 Pick Matthew Schaefer Pays EMOTIONAL Tribute to Late Mother During 2025 Draft

Matthew Schaefer (Image via X/@CHLHockey)

On Friday, at the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft at L.A. Live’s Peacock Theater, the New York Islanders picked Matthew Schaefer as the No.1 pick. After rocking the Islanders jersey, the defenseman would pay an emotional tribute to his late mother.

The 17-year-old was the top prospect going into the 2025 draft and was expected to be a No.1 pick. With the Islanders winning the lottery for the No.1 pick, the New York-based side did not waste any time and selected the young prodigy to be part of their organization.

The Canadian international lost his mother, Jennifer Schaefer, to breast cancer in February 2024. The Islanders had stitched a special lavender ribbon in honor of her and had her initials “J.S.” inside the collar.

After NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman handed him the jersey and the cap, Schaefer would kiss the ribbon on his jersey and point towards the sky. As he stood as the No.1 overall pick of the 2025 draft, Schaefer would choke up a little bit while remembering his mother.

I couldn’t control the tears. Obviously, I’m thinking about my mom a little extra today. I know she’d be very proud.

Matthew Schaefer said as per NHL.com

Earlier in the day, the Erie Otters defenseman from the Ontario Hockey League was seen wearing a personalized jacket. He would have a picture and a signature of his mother stitched to the inside part of his suit jacket near the left side.

Matthew Schaefer sends strong message to NY Rangers after getting picked by the NY Islanders

Friday, June 27, was an emotional day for Matthew Schaefer as he became the No.1 draft pick of the 2025 NHL draft. After getting picked by the New York Islanders, the 17-year-old sent a strong message to the New York Rangers, the rivals of his team.

Matthew Schaefer
Matthew Schaefer (Image via Sportsnet)

During the interview after being picked, he was asked about which team he was excited to face the most. He would thus name the Rangers and speak on the rivalry between the two New York hockey teams.

I’m saying Rangers. I heard there’s a big rivalry. I want to play against the Rangers, and I want to beat them every time we play them.

Schaefer was awarded the CHL top prospect award in 2025 and followed in the footsteps of Connor McDavid. He became just the 2nd Erie Otters player to be honored with this award.

Speaking of Schaefer, his OHL season was cut short due to an injury. He got injured at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship and missed 46 games, including the playoffs. However, he is good to go and be on the ice field at the moment.

As for the Islanders, the 2024-25 season did not go as they had planned. The team never really got into their stride and kept on having mixed results.

In the first full season under head coach Patrick Roy, the team finished with a 35-35-12 record and in 6th place in the Metropolitan Division. This saw them miss the playoffs for the first time since the 2021-22 season. With the pick of Schaefer, the team would be hoping to turn around their fortunes in the upcoming 2025-26 season.

Also Read: