By Greg Beacham
Los Angeles On Friday night, defenseman Matthew Schaefer was chosen by the New York Islanders with the first overall pick in the NHL draft.
At the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles, the Chicago Blackhawks selected Swedish winger Anton Frondell third overall, while high-scoring forward Michael Misa was selected second overall by the San Jose Sharks.
The Utah Mammoth, who advanced ten spots in the draft lottery, selected center Caleb Desnoyers in fourth place. Brady Martin was selected by the Nashville Predators with the fifth overall pick.
The 17-year-old Schaefer, a 6-foot-2 blueliner from Hamilton, Ontario, who played the previous two seasons with the Ontario Hockey League’s Erie Otters, was the Islanders’ first No. 1 pick since 2009. Schaefer only played 17 games the previous season before fracturing his collarbone in December, but his skill on both ends of the rink helped him climb to the top of almost every draft board.
Schaefer is the first defenseman selected with the first overall pick in the NHL draft since Owen Power’s 2021 move to Buffalo, and only the fifth since 2000.
Schaefer overcame adversity to accomplish this feat. Schaefer also had to deal with the recent deaths of his billet family’s mother and Otters owner Jim Waters, as well as the death of his mother, Jennifer, who passed away from cancer sixteen months ago.
Schaefer broke down in tears as he put on his Islanders sweater for the first time and kissed a pink ribbon patch on the chest that symbolizes breast cancer awareness.
During a video conference call with the Islanders front management, Schaefer said, “Thank you for taking a chance on me.” I swear I won’t let you down, but I want to thank my mom and all of my family and friends in particular for everything.
As the Saginaw Spirit’s captain, Misa dominated the OHL the previous season, tallying 62 goals and 134 points in just 65 games. He joins a struggling Sharks franchise that acquired center Macklin Celebrini with the first overall pick a year ago and selected Will Smith fourth overall in 2023.
According to Sharks general manager Mike Grier, “we just thought it was a perfect fit with what we already have here.” Another guy to enter the picture and make people’s lives miserable.
Last season, when he was just 17 years old, Frondell was a standout forward for Djurg rden in Sweden’s second tier. His two-way game helped him push Misa on some selection boards. He may provide Connor Bedard a lot of support at 6-2.
Frondell joins a select few such as Mats Sundin, Victor Hedman, and the Sedin twins as the eighth Swedish player to be selected in the top three.
Martin stayed at home on his family’s farm in Ontario, avoiding the conscription.
The Boston Bruins selected Boston College center James Hagens, the presumptive number one pick in this draft a year prior, with the seventh overall pick after forward Porter Martone was selected sixth overall by Philadelphia.
A video featuring Adam Sandler as Happy Gilmore, complete with his iconic Bruins shirt, was used to announce the Bruins’ selection of Hagens, a Long Island native who was coveted by many Islanders fans. Hagens barely made it down the board.
Hagens, who lists Happy Gilmore as his favorite film, said, “I’m so excited to be back in Boston, and to have Adam Sandler make the pick, that was special.” I’m very happy to be here Boston, and I love to win.
Jake O. Brien was selected ninth overall by the Seattle Kraken as a playmaking forward.
In a draft full of talent but lacking several recent draft mainstays, the Islanders won the lottery to select first.
Despite Schaefer’s obvious victory, there was no guarantee of a No. 1 pick in this category, and the draft lacked the centralized organization that has long been a mainstay of this yearly activity. Instead of being dispersed throughout the draft floor, the 32 teams’ various executives are primarily at home.
