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.
FIRST STAR – MATTHEW SCHAEFER, D, NEW YORK ISLANDERS
Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer is making history. The No. 1 overall pick from the 2025 NHL Draft led the League with four goals in just three games (4-1—5), propelling New York (35-21-5, 75 points) to a remarkable streak. The Islanders became the 10th team in NHL history to record three consecutive multi-goal comeback wins, showcasing their resilience and Schaefer’s impact.
On February 26, Schaefer delivered a stunning performance against the Montreal Canadiens, scoring twice in a 55-second span – his 17th and 18th goals of the season – to provide New York a 4-3 overtime victory. With those goals, Schaefer surpassed Phil Housley to become the League’s all-time leader in goals scored by an 18-year-old defenseman.
Schaefer continued to be a key contributor on February 28, logging a team-high 25:31 of ice time as the Islanders rallied from another 2-0 deficit to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3 in overtime. He then capped off the week with a dominant performance on March 1, recording 2-1—3 against the Florida Panthers in a 5-4 win – his first career three-point game. This performance marked the first time in NHL history a defenseman has been the first rookie to reach 20 goals in a season.
Schaefer isn’t just scoring goals; he’s dominating in multiple categories. Only three rookie defensemen have ever scored more goals in an entire campaign: Brian Leetch (23 in 1988-89 w/ NYR), Barry Beck (22 in 1977-78 w/ CLR) and Dion Phaneuf (20 in 2005-06 w/ CGY). Through 61 games this season, Schaefer leads all rookie skaters in total time on ice (1,471:35 – over 400 minutes ahead of the next closest player) and average time on ice (24:07). He as well ranks first among rookies in power-play goals (7), power-play points (15), and shots on goal (146), tied for first in game-winning goals (4), second in plus/minus (+14), and third in both assists (24) and points (44). He is also tied for fifth in power-play assists (8).
