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3w ago

Islanders Draft Matthew Schaefer First Overall in Darche’s Inaugural Draft

Empowering first-time GM Mathieu Darche has reshaped the Islanders’ rebuild by pairing the No. 1 pick on defenseman Matthew Schaefer with fresh first-round assets

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James Hagens poses with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman after being drafted by the Boston Bruins with the number seven overall pick during the first round of the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft at the Peacock Theater on June 27, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
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Overview

  • Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky granted GM Mathieu Darche complete control over draft decisions to accelerate the franchise’s youth-driven rebuild
  • With the No. 1 overall selection, New York chose 17-year-old Matthew Schaefer—their first top pick since 2009—during the NHL’s remote draft from Los Angeles
  • Schaefer entered the draft fully recovered from a broken collarbone suffered at the World Junior Championships and is praised for his elite skating, puck-rushing and two-way acumen
  • On draft eve, the Islanders traded defenseman Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens for forward Emil Heineman plus the Nos. 16 and 17 first-round picks to deepen their prospect pool
  • holding the No. 2 slot, the San Jose Sharks are weighing Saginaw’s Michael Misa against Sweden’s Anton Frondell as they look to bolster their young core