Islanders' Matthew Schaefer one vote shy of unanimous selection to NHL all-rookie team
Matthew Schaefer of the New York Islanders at UBS Arena in April. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer missed being a unanimous choice to the NHL all-rookie team by one vote a month after being the league’s first unanimous choice for the Calder Trophy as the top rookie since 1993.
The NHL announced its six-player all-rookie team on Friday with Schaefer, the first overall pick in 2025 earning 194 of 195 possible votes from the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.
The Hurricanes’ Alexander Nikishin (184 votes) was the other defenseman named. The Canadiens’ Ivan Demidov (195), the Ducks’ Beckett Sennecke (191) and the Blues’ Jimmy Snuggerud (136) were the forwards and the Canadiens’ Jakub Dobes (151) was the goalie.
Schaefer, who turns 19 on Sept. 5, notched 23 goals with 36 assists in 82 games, matching Brian Leetch’s NHL record for goals by a rookie defenseman. Schaefer also set the league record for an 18-year-old defenseman in goals and points.
Schaefer also finished ninth in balloting by the PHWA for the league’s first- and second-team all-stars, garnering five second-place votes and 13 third-place votes.
Goalie Ilya Sorokin, who finished second in Vezina Trophy balloting by the league’s general managers behind the Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy, was third in PHWA voting for first- and second all-star teams with 25 first-place votes, 48 second-place votes and 31 third-place votes. Vasilevskiy was named an NHL first-team all-star while the Capitals’ Logan Thompson was named a second-team all-star.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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