With the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft, the Islanders selected Erie Otters (OHL) defenseman Matthew Schaefer to help stabilize their back end for years to come. Schaefer registered seven goals and 15 assists to go along with a +21 rating in just 17 games this past season after dealing with a collarbone injury.

He is the total package as a skater. He has a phenomenal top gear and will push the pace with the puck through open ice. He loves to activate on the rush, and he can afford to, as his straight-line speed affords him the ability to quickly rotate back to the points or catch up on the backcheck.