Schaefer shines on emotional night, goes No. 1 to Islanders in 2025 NHL Draft

LOS ANGELES -- Matthew Schaefer smiled as he pulled on his jersey after the New York Islanders selected him with the No. 1 pick of the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft at L.A. Live’s Peacock Theater on Friday.

Then he looked down.

On the upper left chest, the Islanders had stitched a lavender ribbon in honor of his mother, Jennifer, who died of breast cancer in February 2024. Inside the collar, they had put the initials “J.S.”

Schaefer pulled on his hat, kissed the ribbon and pointed to the sky. Standing on stage next to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman during one of the biggest moments of his life, the 17-year-old choked up and wiped his eyes.

“I couldn’t control the tears,” Schaefer said. “Obviously, I’m thinking about my mom a little extra today. I know she’d be very proud. I’d love for her to be here in person, but obviously cancer [stinks], so she’s with me in spirit. I know she’s not suffering, and she’s happy, smiling down and always with me. …

“My mom’s a big part of my life, and this jersey I’m going to hang up for sure. That ribbon has a little extra meaning to it.”

Schaefer felt an intense mix of emotions as he went through the draft day experience, and he displayed the character that attracted the Islanders to him as a person, not just as a player.

The defenseman from Erie of the Ontario Hockey League stitched a photo of his mother on the lining inside his suit coat so she could be close to his heart. After Bettman called his name, he hugged his father, Todd, and brother, Johnny, all of them in tears.

“I don’t usually cry as much as my dad and brother,” Schaefer said. “My dad’s like, ‘Oh, you won’t cry.’ And then I’m kind of biting my tongue, and my name gets called, and then they start flowing out. Obviously, happy tears. I wish my mom could be here. I think that’s the biggest thing.”

His father called it “overwhelming.” His brother called it “amazing.”

“You’re proud of him, you’re happy for him, and then you’re thinking about who’s not here,” his father said. “You’re crying. You’re smiling. You’re happy.”

The ribbon made it even more special.

“It just took me to a different level of emotions,” his father said. “It was so important for him. He wanted his mom here so much. He has his belief system. He believes she’s right beside him. But the respect that the Islanders have shown by doing that, go to that next level, I mean, when you have an organization like that, you want to work hard. You want to do whatever it is for them. It’s just a respect thing.

“He just appreciated it so much, and he hasn’t cried like that in a long time. It’s been a long time. I think when he saw that on the jersey, it just brought everything out, and that’s not a bad thing.”

Bettman escorted Schaefer to a giant screen in the “NHL Draft House,” where he could interact with the front office on Long Island. The theater fell silent as the microphone caught Schaefer sniffling, trying to compose himself.

“Thank you, guys,” Schaefer said. “Sorry. OK. We’re good.”

Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche said he knew his mother was proud of him.

“Thank you, guys,” Schaefer said. “I appreciate you taking a chance on me. I promise I won’t disappoint. But especially just want to say to my mom and all my family and friends, thanks for everything. But especially you guys, thank you so much. I appreciate it.”

Schaefer choked up again talking about his mother and how much he missed her.

“Listen, there’s a lot of good players here tonight,” Darche said. “But Matthew the hockey player is outstanding, the human being is as outstanding as the hockey player, so we’re so excited to have him here.”

After that, Schaefer dried his eyes, started smiling again and went through “the gauntlet,” more than two hours of interviews and photo shoots. As he raced around, he received four phone calls from the Islanders -- first Darche, who told him that he had made him cry, and then future teammates Anders Lee, Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat.

Actor Kevin Connolly did an interview with Schaefer that the Islanders beamed back live to their draft party at UBS Arena. Connolly is known for his role as Eric Murphy in the HBO series “Entourage.” Well, Schaefer had an entourage of his own, including a camera crew following his every move.

“Want a picture?” Schaefer asked Connolly.

“Yeah,” Connolly said, hopping alongside him. “Of course.”

Perhaps this was the most impressive part: Amid everything, Schaefer paid attention to other people, whether they were famous or not.

Although his handlers tried to keep him on a tight schedule, Schaefer repeatedly stopped to take pictures with fans -- Islanders fans, of course, but also fans of other NHL teams. Not only did he sign autographs, but he took time to personalize them.

Carson Grizovic, a 20-year-old sport management student from Baldwin Wallace University in Ohio, served as Schaefer’s “draft guide.” He held a clipboard with a checklist of Schaefer’s commitments. As they walked along, Schaefer asked Grizovic about himself.

“He’s been great,” Grizovic said. “I got to do this last year, and he’s definitely my favorite draft pick I’ve had. The way he’s asking questions back and engaging with everything, he’s really just taking in the moment, and you can tell he’s excited to be an Islander.”

What a moment it was.

“You see how hard he works, how much he’s endured and gone through at such a young age,” Schaefer’s brother said. “I’ve been around him at all parts of his life, I guess you could say, from when he was a wee little kid to now towering over me. It’s just good seeing a good person do good things and get that kind of love and success.

“Whenever it’s a good person, you get more people rooting for you, and it makes the story a little bit better.”