Islanders select blueliner Matthew Schaefer with No. 1 pick in 2025 NHL draft

Joshua Clipperton · The Canadian Press

· Posted: Jun 27, 2025 7:27 PM EDT | Last Updated: 19 minutes ago

Matthew Schaefer is simply a subordinate of the New York Islanders.

The nine selected the 17-year-old defenceman from the Ontario Hockey League's Erie Otters with the archetypal prime astatine the 2025 NHL draught connected Friday.

Schaefer had been viewed arsenic the slam-dunk apical enactment for months, contempt not playing since December aft suffering a breached collar bony portion suiting up for Canada astatine the satellite inferior hockey championship.

His large infinitesimal conscionable steps from Crypto.com Arena — location of the Los Angeles Kings — was besides tinged with a level of sadness.

The teenager's mother, Jennifer, died of bosom crab successful February 2024.

"I miss her a lot," Schaefer said connected signifier aft being greeted by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. "I privation she could beryllium here."

His mother's passing came 3 months aft his billet ma was struck and killed by a train, successful what was ruled decease by suicide.

Schaefer past was rocked during the satellite juniors erstwhile mentor and Otters proprietor Jim Waters died of a bosom onslaught successful December.

The six-foot-two, 186-pound blueliner from Hamilton, with elite accomplishment astatine some ends of the rink, joins an enactment that was engaged successful the hours earlier calling his sanction archetypal wrong the Peacock Theater.

According to aggregate reports, the Islanders traded defenceman Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens successful speech for guardant Emil Heineman and the 16th and 17th wide picks.

The San Jose Sharks took guardant Michael Misa 2nd overall.

Once the hands-down presumptive archetypal prime successful 2025, the six-foot-one, 182-pound centre from Oakville, Ont., led the full Canadian Hockey League successful goals (62) and points (134) successful 2024-25, playing for the OHL's Saginaw Spirit.

Chicago Blackhawks drafted Swedish centre Anton Frondell third overall, portion the Utah Mammoth selected Caleb Desnoyers from the Moncton Wildcats 4th overall. 

The 2025 showcase lawsuit marks the NHL's archetypal decentralized draught successful a non-pandemic situation — a format akin to the NFL and NBA wherever teams marque selections remotely alternatively of each being successful the aforesaid venue on-site.

No determination has been made connected however the draught volition look adjacent year, but lawman commissioner Bill Daly said earlier Friday the ballot successful favour of decentralization among teams this clip astir was 26-6.

The Vancouver Canucks ain the highest enactment among Canadian clubs astatine No. 15. The draught continues Saturday with rounds 2 done seven.