Matthew Schaefer (born September 5, 2007) is a Canadian ice hockey defenceman for the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He is considered a top prospect eligible for the 2025 NHL entry draft.
| Matthew Schaefer | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
September 5, 2007 Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
| Weight | 183 lb (83 kg; 13 st 1 lb) | ||
| Position | Defenceman | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| OHL team | Erie Otters | ||
| NHL draft | Eligible 2025 | ||
Playing career
editPlaying at the under-16 level for the Halton Hurricanes of the South-Central Triple A Hockey League in 2022–23, Schaefer recorded 12 goals and 32 points in 25 games, earning player of the year honours.[1] Following the season, he was selected first overall in the 2023 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) draft by the Erie Otters.[2] He became the third first overall pick in Otters history, after Ryan O'Reilly and Connor McDavid.[3] In May 2023, he signed a contract with the Otters, committing to play for the team beginning that fall.[4]
Early in his rookie OHL season, the 2023–24 season, Schaefer scored his first goal on October 12, 2023, a power play goal against the Niagara IceDogs.[5] As the backbone of an Otters defense group that The Hockey News described as "bleak," Schaefer was leaned upon heavily but managed the transition from minor hockey to the OHL smoothly.[6] He would finish the year with three goals and 17 points in 56 games, earning first team all-rookie honors.[7] His impressive rookie season came in the face of significant personal struggles, as both his mother and his billet mother died during the season.[2]
International play
edit| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
Representing  Canada
| ||
| Men's ice hockey | ||
| World U18 Championship | ||
 |
2024 Finland | |
| Hlinka Gretzky Cup | ||
| |
2024 Canada | |
Representing Ontario at the 2023 Canada Winter Games, Schaefer, as the team's captain, scored an game-winning goal in overtime of the finals to secure a 3–2 victory over Saskatchewan and a gold medal.[2] Later that year, he would win gold with the Canadian under-17 team at the 2023 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, again as captain.[8][9]
At the 2024 World U18 Championship, Schaefer and Team Canada went undefeated to a gold medal finish.[10] Although overshadowed by fellow underager Gavin McKenna and his 20 points at the event, Schaefer was also a standout, averaging just under 18 minutes a night including power play and penalty kill deployment and scoring one goal and five points in seven games.[2]
Schaefer was the Canadian captain at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where his standout play was a driving force behind the Canadians claiming the gold medal.[11] He opened the tournament with two goals in a 10–0 blowout victory against Switzerland,[5] adding four assists over the rest of the event to finish with six points.[12]
Personal life
editMatthew Schaefer is the younger son of Todd and Jennifer Schaefer. His older brother Johnny, like him, played in the Ontario Hockey League. His mother died of breast cancer in February 2024, less than three months after his billet mother Emily Matson was struck and killed by a train in an apparent suicide.[2]
Career statistics
editRegular season and playoffs
edit| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2023–24 | Erie Otters | OHL | 56 | 3 | 14 | 17 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | ||
| OHL totals | 56 | 3 | 14 | 17 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | ||||
International
edit| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Canada White | U17 | 
|
8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | |
| 2024 | Canada | U18 |
|
7 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2 | |
| 2024 | Canada | HG18 |
|
5 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 0 | |
| Junior totals | 20 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 8 | ||||
Awards and honours
edit| Award | Year | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|
| OHL | |||
| First All-Rookie Team | 2024 | [13] | |
References
edit- ^ Henry, Jordan (April 3, 2023). "2023 U16 AAA Player of the Year Awards". Canadian Hockey League. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Campbell, Ken (May 18, 2024). "Light feet, heavy heart: The tragic story of a rising hockey star and two unfathomable losses". Toronto Star. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
- ^ Copper, Mike (April 20, 2023). "Matthew Schaefer joins O'Reilly, McDavid as Erie Otters' No. 1 overall picks in OHL draft". Erie Times-News. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
- ^ Scheig, Mark (May 24, 2023). "Erie Otters: Get to Know Matthew Schaefer & Wesley Royston". The Hockey Writers. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
- ^ a b Stockl, Joely (January 16, 2024). "A Look Back at the Top 3 from the 2023 OHL Priority Selection". The Hockey News. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
- ^ Stockl, Joely (February 10, 2024). "An Updated Look at the 2023 OHL Draft Class & the 2007 Age Group; Picks #1-5". The Hockey News. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
- ^ Vickers, Aaron (August 4, 2024). "Schaefer ready to 'put the work boots on' ahead of 2025 NHL Draft". National Hockey League. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
- ^ Ellis, Steven (August 7, 2024). "Meet Matthew Schaefer, the top (early) defenseman for the 2025 NHL Draft". Daily Faceoff. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
- ^ Brown, Jared (August 5, 2024). "Otters Defenseman Matthew Schaefer Named Team Canada Captain for the Hlinka Gretzky Cup". The Hockey News. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
- ^ "#TheMoment a rising hockey star turned tragedy into triumph". CBC News. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
- ^ Ferrari, Tony (August 11, 2024). "Hlinka Gretzky Cup: Schaefer and Ivankovic Lead Tournament Standouts as Canada Wins Gold". The Hockey News. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
- ^ Bukala, Jason (August 22, 2024). "An early ranking of top 10 prospects for 2025 NHL Draft". Sportsnet. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
- ^ Brown, Jared (May 29, 2024). "OHL Announces 2023-24 All-Star & All-Rookie Teams". The Hockey News. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
External links
edit- Biographical information and career statistics from Eliteprospects.com, or The Internet Hockey Database