Islanders select Matthew Schaefer with No. 1 decide in NHL draft
By GREG BEACHAM
LOS ANGELES — The New York Islanders chosen defenseman Matthew Schaefer with the No. 1 decide within the NHL draft Friday night time.
Excessive-scoring ahead Michael Misa went second total to the San Jose Sharks, and the Chicago Blackhawks took Swedish ahead Anton Frondell third on the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles.
Heart Caleb Desnoyers went fourth to the Utah Mammoth, who moved up 10 spots within the draft lottery. The Nashville Predators grabbed bodily ahead Brady Martin with the fifth decide.
The Islanders stunned no person through the use of their first No. 1 choice since 2009 on the 17-year-old Schaefer, a 6-foot-2 blueliner from Hamilton, Ontario, who spent the previous two seasons with the Ontario Hockey League’s Erie Otters. He performed solely 17 video games final season earlier than breaking his collarbone in December, however Schaefer’s acumen on each ends of the ice nonetheless propelled him to the highest of practically all draft boards.
Schaefer is simply the fifth defenseman picked No. 1 total within the NHL draft since 2000, and the primary since Owen Energy went to Buffalo in 2021.
Schaefer persevered by way of tragedy to achieve this milestone. Schaefer’s mom, Jennifer, died of most cancers 16 months in the past, and he additionally endured the latest deaths of the Otters’ proprietor, Jim Waters, and the mom of his billet household.
When Schaefer pulled on his Islanders sweater for the primary time, he kissed a pink ribbon patch on the chest representing breast most cancers consciousness earlier than breaking into tears.
“I respect you taking an opportunity on me,” Schaefer stated in a video convention name with the Islanders’ entrance workplace. “I promise I received’t disappoint, however particularly I simply need to say to my mother and all my household and buddies, thanks for all the pieces.”
Misa tore up the OHL final season because the captain of the Saginaw Spirit, scoring 62 targets and 134 factors in simply 65 video games. He joins a struggling Sharks group that selected Will Smith fourth total in 2023 and acquired middle Macklin Celebrini with the primary total decide a 12 months in the past.
“We simply thought it was an ideal match with what we have already got right here,” Sharks normal supervisor Mike Grier stated. “One other man to step in and be a nightmare matchup for individuals.”
Frondell excelled as a 17-year-old ahead final season with Djurgården in Sweden’s second division, exhibiting off a two-way recreation that allowed him to push Misa on some draft boards. At 6-2, he may present a big complement to Connor Bedard.
Frondell is the eighth Swedish participant to be a top-three choice, becoming a member of elite firm together with Victor Hedman, Mats Sundin and the Sedin twins.
Martin skipped the draft, as an alternative staying house on his household farm in Ontario.
After ahead Porter Martone went sixth total to Philadelphia, the Boston Bruins used the seventh total decide on Boston School middle James Hagens, the consensus high prospect for this draft a 12 months in the past.
Hagens, a Lengthy Island native coveted by many Islanders followers, slid down the board simply sufficient to achieve the Bruins, whose decide was introduced by a video of Adam Sandler in character as Pleased Gilmore, full together with his signature Bruins jersey.
“I’m so excited to be again in Boston, and to have Adam Sandler make the decide, that was particular,” stated Hagens, who cites “Pleased Gilmore” as his favourite film. “I like to win, and I’m actually glad that I’m in Boston.”
The Seattle Kraken selected playmaking ahead Jake O’Brien eighth total.
The Islanders received the lottery to choose first in a draft that’s filled with expertise — whereas lacking a number of staples of latest drafts.
There was no absolute lock of a No. 1 decide on this area, though Schaefer clearly got here out on high, and the draft additionally lacked the centralized construction that has lengthy been a staple of this annual train. The 32 groups’ numerous executives are largely at house, not strewn throughout the draft ground.
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