Matthew Schaefer kept running the table for the Islanders in Nashville, and this time the workload crossed into rare territory.
In New York’s 4-3 shootout win over the Predators on Tuesday, the 19-year-old defenseman became the first player since the 2004-05 lockout to skate every second of a five-minute overtime.
It almost didn’t look that way at first. Schaefer forced the issue 2 minutes and 17 seconds into OT by drawing a tripping penalty on Nashville forward Filip Forsberg, which should have bought him a quick breather in the middle of the usual 3-on-3 sprint.
Instead, the Islanders kept him on for the entire 4-on-3 power play, then left him out for the final 43 seconds after it ended so he could finish the full five minutes. After stepping out of the penalty box, he even had to race back and disrupt a potential Forsberg breakaway.
By the end of the night, Schaefer had logged 32 minutes and 16 seconds, more than six minutes ahead of the next Islanders skater. He came into the game averaging 26 minutes and 13 seconds per night.
The rookie also chipped in offensively with an assist, giving him 11 points through 12 games this season on two goals and nine assists. Last season, he delivered 59 points in all 82 games, scoring 23 goals and adding 36 assists on his way to the Calder Trophy.
The Islanders are fourth in the Metropolitan Division with 14 points through 12 games. They close out their three-game road trip against the Minnesota Wild on Thursday, then return home for a three-game homestand that starts Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers.
In Other News...
Matthew Schaefer Is Putting An Untouchable NHL Teen Mark In Play
Matthew Schaefer has spent the opening stretch of his NHL career looking every bit like a player the Islanders can build around, and the numbers only deepen that impression. At 19, he has been close to a point per game, which is rare territory for any teenager in the league and even rarer when it comes with the kind of responsibility New York is already handing him.
The workload is part of what makes this feel so notable. Schaefer is getting major minutes for the Islanders, and if he keeps producing at anywhere near this pace, a long-standing teenager scoring benchmark could come into view before he turns 20 next year. There is still a lot of runway left, but for a young defenseman in his first NHL season, he has already put an eye-catching chase in motion. [Read more 🡒]
Matthew Schaefer Just Gave Islanders Fans Another Reason To Watch Closely
Matthew Schaefer keeps finding ways to stand out for the Islanders, and his latest night against Nashville was another reminder of how quickly he is becoming part of the conversation. In a game that needed extra time, the young defenseman was trusted in all the biggest moments, with coach Peter DeBoer praising the way he handled the workload and noting that his ice time led all Islanders defensemen.
The most striking part came in overtime, when Schaefer stayed on the ice through the full five-minute session and the delayed-penalty sequence after drawing a tripping call early in the frame. For a player still building his NHL resume, that kind of usage says plenty about the confidence the staff has in him, and it also gives Islanders fans another reason to keep watching closely every time he jumps over the boards. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Are Asking A Lot From Matthew Schaefer Already
Matthew Schaefer is already being leaned on like a veteran, which says plenty about how quickly the Islanders have come to trust the 2025 No. 1 pick. In his second NHL season, the defenseman has been a major factor at both ends of the ice, and his role has only grown since Alexander Romanov went down with an injury. The workload has followed naturally, with Schaefer handling heavier minutes while still contributing in key moments on offense.
The concern now is less about what Schaefer can do in a night than what this kind of usage might mean over a full season. He has looked comfortable in a demanding spot, but the Islanders are asking him to carry a load that can wear on even established defensemen, especially with so much of the game running through him already. For a player this young, the production is encouraging. The question is how long the pace can hold. [Read more 🡒]