New York Islanders [http://thn.com/isles] No.1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer [https://www.instagram.com/p/DQZGm5ajaOu/?igsh=bHllZDNsbnlvdnRi] has played nine games at the NHL level and has looked better than what you'd expect from an 18-year-old, even if he heard his name called first at the 2025 NHL Draft. For most first-year players, the nine-game mark is a critical one, as franchises must decide whether to send their top prospect back to juniors for the rest of the season or pursue development at the NHL level -- as it burns a year off their three-year entry-level deal. The Nashville Predators [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators] decided to send back 2025 fifth overall pick Brady Martin [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators] to juniors after just three NHL games. The Philadelphia Flyers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/players/what-did-the-flyers-learn-from-jett-luchanko-s-second-nhl-stint] sent 2024 13th overall pick Jett Luchanko [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/players/what-did-the-flyers-learn-from-jett-luchanko-s-second-nhl-stint] back to juniors after four games, following a four-game stint with them at the tail-end of the 2024-25 season. The San Jose Sharks [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/san-jose-sharks] have an interesting decision to make with 2025 No. 2 overall pick Michael Misa [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/san-jose-sharks], who has three points through his first six NHL games. But, for the Islanders, their decision is straightforward. Schaefer has arguably been the team's best player through these opening nine games, recording seven points (two goals, five assists) during a six-game point streak to begin his NHL career, making him the youngest defenseman in league history to accomplish that feat. He leads the team in 5-on-5 minutes (146:07), is quarterbacking their top power-play unit, and is playing big minutes on the penalty kill. Schaefer's 28 shots in all situations are the third-most on the team. He's been responsible, taking just one penalty so far this season, which came during a post-whistle scrum. While he's given the puck away the most out of any defenseman, it's incredibly similar to Mathew Barzal's situation -- players who carry the puck the most will have more turnovers. He leads the team with five takeaways. The Ontario native has taken the most hits on the team, at 30 -- many of them to make plays -- and hasn't shown any physical wear and tear at all. We can go on for days on just how impressive this young man has been. Entering the 2025 NHL Draft, the big "knock" on Schaefer was that, because of mono and a broken collar bone, was 17 games in 2024-25 enough of a sample size? When I spoke with his Otters assistant coach, Ken Peroff I asked him about the narrative around the number of games Schaefer played. He said that if you watched those 17 games, you knew why he was the clear-cut No. 1 pick and Peroff was 100% correct. So, as much as it would be fun -- not for Islanders' fans -- to see Schaefer absolutely dominate the OHL in a full season, it's much more fun for the Long Island faithful to see him doing that at the NHL level. Expect Schaefer -- it's happening -- to remain up with the Islanders and play in his 10th NHL game when he and his team battle the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night.
