Islanders select blueliner Matthew Schaefer with No. 1 pick in 2025 NHL draft

Matthew Schaefer stood up when his name was called.

The emotion was too much. Thinking about the person he wished more than anything could be by his side overwhelmed the 17-year-old defenceman.

The tears flowed soon after.

The New York Islanders did the expected Friday, selecting Schaefer with the first pick at the 2025 NHL draft.

His big moment inside Peacock Theater was tinged with a level of sadness. The teenager's mother, Jennifer, died of breast cancer in February 2024.

Schaefer, who spent two seasons with the Ontario Hockey League's Erie Otters, kissed the cancer awareness ribbon on his Islanders jersey after pulling it on, pointed to the sky and then broke down.

"I couldn't control the tears … thinking about my mom a little extra today," said the Hamilton native. "I know she'd be very proud. I'd love her to be here in person. But obviously cancer sucks, so she's with me in spirit.

"I know she's not suffering and she's happy, smiling down and always with me."

Schaefer had been viewed as the slam-dunk top selection for months despite not playing since December after suffering a broken collar bone while suiting up for Canada at the world junior hockey championship.

His mother's death came three months after his billet mom was struck and killed by a train in what was ruled death by suicide. Schaefer then was rocked during the world juniors when mentor and Otters owner Jim Waters died of a heart attack in December.

The six-foot-two, 186-pound blueliner with elite skill at both ends of the rink joins an organization that was busy in the hours before calling his name. The Islanders traded defenceman Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for forward Emil Heineman and the 16th and 17th overall picks.

The San