New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer is this year’s recipient of the Calder Trophy, given to the NHL’s best rookie player as voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association. The 18-year-old was nominated for the honor last week alongside Anaheim Ducks forward Beckett Sennecke and Montreal Canadiens forward Ivan Demidov.
Schaefer is the first rookie defenseman to be unanimously voted the winner, securing all 198 first-place votes from eligible voters. The last player to win the Calder Trophy unanimously was Winnipeg Jets forward Teemu Selanne after his 76-goal rookie season in 1992-93. Schaefer is also the youngest Calder Trophy winner in league history at 18 years and 223 days old. He is one day younger than the previous record holder, Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon, who won the award in 2014.
The Canadian teenager scored 23 goals this past season, tying Brian Leetch for the most goals scored by a defenseman in their rookie season. Leetch scored 23 goals in his first season with the New York Rangers in 1988-89. The only defenseman to record more goals than Schaefer this season was Washington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun, who scored 26. Schaefer also scored eight power-play goals, tied with Chychrun for second-most among defensemen this year behind Tampa Bay’s Darren Raddysh.
Matthew Schaefer’s historic season is capped by an historic Calder Trophy win as he became the first defenseman to be the unanimous Rookie of the Year, and the youngest ever to claim an individual honor for NHL performance. #NHLAwards#NHLStats: https://t.co/65almpOJr7 pic.twitter.com/SYoDMxFBpr
— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) May 13, 2026
Schaefer is also the youngest defenseman to record over 50 points in their debut campaign. His goal output tied Sennecke for the most scored by a rookie this past season, and his 59 points were third-most among rookies behind Sennecke (60) and Demidov (62). Schaefer played 31:59 in a March game against Chicago, the eighth-highest time-on-ice for an NHL rookie since the league began tracking the statistic in 1997.
Schaefer was drafted No. 1 by the Islanders at the 2025 NHL Draft in Los Angeles, the fifth defenseman taken first since the 2006 draft when Erik Johnson was selected No. 1 by the St. Louis Blues. Schaefer is the first Islander to win the Calder since teammate Mathew Barzal won in 2018.
The Islanders missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season, finishing sixth in the Metropolitan Division.
