Matthew Schaefer Named NHL’s First Star of the Week

NEW YORK – New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer, Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs, and Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Boldy have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” presented by GEICO for the week ending March 1, 2026.

First Star – Matthew Schaefer, New York Islanders

Schaefer, the No. 1 overall pick from the 2025 NHL Draft, registered a League-high four goals in three contests (4-1—5) to support the Islanders (35-21-5, 75 points) grow the 10th team in NHL history to record at least three straight multi-goal comeback wins.

Trailing 2-0 late in the second period on February 26, Schaefer scored twice in 55 seconds – his 17th and 18th tallies of the season – to surpass Phil Housley for the most goals in League history by an 18-year-old defenseman en route to New York earning a 4-3 overtime victory against the Montreal Canadiens.

Schaefer did not register a point but logged a team-high 25:31 of ice time as the Islanders again rallied from a 2-0 deficit for a 4-3 overtime win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on February 28. He ended the week with 2-1—3, his first career three-point performance, in a 5-4 triumph over the Florida Panthers on March 1. This performance marked the first instance in NHL history of a defenseman being the first rookie to reach 20 goals in a given season.

Only three other rookie blueliners have compiled as many goals in an entire campaign: Brian Leetch (23 in 1988-89 with the New York Rangers), Barry Beck (22 in 1977-78 with the Colorado Rockies), and Dion Phaneuf (20 in 2005-06 with the Calgary Flames).

Schaefer’s Impressive Rookie Season

In addition to leading the field in goals, Schaefer also ranks among the top rookie skaters in total time on ice (1st; 1,471:35 – more than 400 minutes ahead of the next-closest player), average time on ice (1st; 24:07), power-play goals (1st; 7), power-play points (1st; 15), shots on goal (1st; 146), game-winning goals (tied for 1st; 4), plus/minus (2nd; +14), assists (3rd; 24), points (3rd; 44), and power-play assists (tied for 5th; 8) through 61 total games this season.

Schaefer was selected first overall by the New York Islanders in the 2025 NHL entry draft NHL.com and is a Canadian professional ice hockey player Wikipedia.