Overview
- Matthew Schaefer, announced Wednesday on Good Morning America, won the NHL’s rookie of the year award with all 198 first-place votes from the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.
- The ballot results made Ivan Demidov the runner-up with 120 second-place votes, with Beckett Sennecke at 41 and Canadiens goalie Jakub Dobeš at 32.
- Schaefer produced 23 goals and 59 points across 82 games, tying Brian Leetch’s rookie defenseman goals record and setting new benchmarks for an 18-year-old blueliner.
- Coaches leaned on him heavily as he averaged 24:41 of ice time per game—an NHL record for an 18-year-old—and logged 31:59 in a single game while leading rookies in power‑play goals and shots.
- The on-air surprise included his father, brother and former teammate Matt Martin, and he dedicated the honor to his late mother as the Islanders look to new coach Pete DeBoer to shape a roster built around him.