If there was any more validation that Erie Otters defender Matthew Schaefer is the top prospect at the 2025 NHL Draft, he can add some hardware to that label as he won the Canadian Hockey League’s Top Prospect Award.
Schaefer became the second Otter player to win the award after Connor McDavid won it back in 2014-15. Despite only playing in 17 games this season, it was more than enough to give Schaefer the top prospect label and the consensus first overall label for the upcoming draft. He reflected on his short, but in some ways, successful season as he was really grateful for the opportunity because of his hard work to earn that label.
It really meant a lot to him as he took the award as an opportunity to work as hard as he did in such a short amount of time to become the top prospect. With his qualities and how he stood out at the NHL Draft Combine, Schaefer truly is deserving of this title.
Schaefer’s Character and Mindset Stands Out
Schaefer’s performance alone at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup definitely put his name on the map as a player to watch. Despite dealing with an illness and an injury in his draft year, he still put up an impressive 22 points. Had he been healthy for the entire season, it definitely would’ve helped his case even more.
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He has dazzled with his speed and two-way play on the ice. His poise and confidence on the backend is really some of the best we’ve seen in some time from a defenseman. He’s quick, finds the open lanes and he’s driven on the ice and wants to win every time he’s out there. Those are the qualities that teams look for on the ice, but off-ice character is just as important. That was the case for him at the Combine as his personality shined. It was again on display at the awards, even joking about how he should stay away from hitting posts as that’s what ended his season.
While his personality was on display, his character was at the forefront. Schaefer has faced a lot of adversity early on in his career. He was sick to start the season after the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Then he broke his collarbone two games into the World Junior Hockey Championship. Personally, he had endured substantial loses, losing his billet mother, his own mother to cancer and the Otters team owner Jim Waters. However, he has gotten the support from everyone within the organization to help him succeed on his journey.
Family and his team are a big part of his support system, but the way he presents himself on and off the ice is for his mother, wanting to carry on her legacy.
“I lost my mom last year, she battled cancer for two years. I play for her each and every day and I carry myself how she carried herself. I kind of want to carry on her legacy and the person that she was. She came in a room and lit it up with a smile.
“There’s a lot of things that I went through in life, but it’s made me stronger. Just from the start of last year; moving away from home, losing my billet mom and then losing my mom, then losing my owner at the World Juniors. I’ve gone through a lot, but it makes me stronger and I’m just happy that I’m playing the sport that I love and I just want to be a good person.”
His mindset should resonate with a lot of people, including which organization that selects him. Especially the New York Islanders. No matter what he went through, Schaefer has always bounced back in a positive light. Whether it was a personal loss or even with an injury, he never strays away from the path that he wants to follow.
Schaefer’s Career Just Getting Started
Despite missing the majority of the season with a broken collarbone, Schaefer hasn’t lost his focus on the task at hand, getting ready for the NHL Draft in Los Angeles. He’s as dynamic as they come as a defenseman and any team that’s looking to bolster their back end or even going through a rebuild, adding a player with Schaefer’s skillset is going to be a big boost as he has been training for this for some time.
“At the start, you’re training hard,” Schaefer said. “It’s your draft year and then you start with the Hlinka [Gretzky] tournament, that’s kind of the first look that teams get to see you.
“Honestly, it’s a fun game. You love to play it and you just go out their because you love the game and you just play as hard as you can.”
With a lot of eyes on him and a small sample to go off of this season, it was still enough to give Schaefer the honour of being the top prize in this year’s draft. His career is just getting started and with his mindset and drive, he knows that he needs to take things day by day as he gets closer to his goal.
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“You keep wanting to progress and be better each and every day. Obviously, you want to be a good person no matter what. I love to win and I don’t like losing… The work is only just starting.”
There are a number of reasons why Schaefer is deserving of the Top Prospect Award, as he has the qualities on the ice to succeed. Off the ice, he’s just as impactful and his character and maturity shows that.
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