[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Aces Edition, Vol. 16):

LD Matthew Schaefer (6'2",183lbs)
Erie (OHL): 17gp/ 7g/ 15a/ 22pts, +21, 8 PIM

Future Superstar Matt Schaefer's draft year was reduced to a small 17-game sample size, after a broken collarbone at the World Juniors essentially ended his season (he was given a 3-month recovery time). McKenzie stated though, that even with the missed developmental time, most scouts he surveyed stated that they still had Schaefer ranked #1 on their lists. In addition to his 17 OHL games this season, he put up 5 points in 7 games (with a + 8) at the 2024 U-18's, and had a goal and an assist in 2 games at the WJC, before going down to injury. Simply put- Matthew Schaefer is next level. He's a dynamic two-way defenseman who acts as a shut-down defender in one end of the ice, while being a game-breaking, lights-out offensive creator in the other end; his 22 points in 17 games prorate to 88 points in 68 games, if he was fully healthy for the duration of the season. Schaefer controls the pace of the game, and tilts the ice like few others can, with a full toolkit of NHL-translatable skills, and an overflowing arsenal of superb physical traits. Everything he does looks unbelievably smooth, and he always seems remarkably poised and calm under pressure. A lot of his game is facilitated by his elite skating, blended with his supernatural puck-skills, and whenever a mistake is made (and those instances are rare), he has the speed and handling to recover without missing a beat. Similarly, he can activate into the play off the point, or join the rush as an extra forward, and make it back to cover his defensive duties at the line seamlessly, before the puck leaves the zone. Schaefer explodes out of the blocks with a lightning-quick first-step, and accelerates rapidly up to a turbo-charged top-speed, on a long and powerful stride, with polished, fluid mechanics- he can flat-out fly. With elite edgework, he uses his agility to outmaneuver checkers, evade pressure, and briskly change pace and direction when rushing the puck up-ice, in order to sidestep defenders.

Schaefer's stickhandling keeps pace with his overwhelming speed, which makes him twice as dangerous; he can solve problems on the fly, make attackers miss, and blow through traffic without hardly being touched, with his quick hands. Because of these skills, he excels in transition, either by pass or by carry, and can lead the rush through controlled exit and entry, or support the play by quarterbacking from the rear with connective passes. He easily shakes off forecheckers in retrievals, either by outskating them, or by outmaneuvering them, and can create dynamic plays off of recovered pucks to expedite the breakout, with calmness and poise. Schaefer's offensive instincts are top-notch, and he already reads the play in the offensive zone at an NHL-level, with high-end vision, and elite hockey sense. He walks the line in the offensive zone effortlessly, keeping his head up to scan for open lanes, and to pry open passing seams. He's not afraid to join the rush as an extra attacker, and will activate deep into the zone off the line if he spots an opportunity- even attacking the net at times, either on, or off the puck. He spots teammates in high-danger often for grade "A" chances, and has soft-touch passing skill to thread the needle through the smallest holes in traffic- right to the recipient's tape. His shot isn't very special, and is mostly used as a playmaking device, but he likes to sneak up to the slot for shot opportunities, as he is more apt to score in-close, and has the precision to beat goalies cleanly.

Schaefer is quite well-rounded, and he's an excellent defensive performer, but his game in this area isn't yet 100% perfect, and is still a bit of a work in progress. Most of the time, he exhibits sound positioning, and plus-level awareness in the defensive zone, but he's a bit inconsistent. He's active and aggressive in pursuit of the puck, but he sometimes loses his man in coverage, and there are questions about his effort and engagement level at times. Schaefer defends the rush well, and can easily match footwork with any opponents to apply tight gaps, angle opponents to the boards, and strip them of the puck with with a well-timed stick. At times though, his gaps are too loose, and he concedes too much room to oncoming rushers. Schaefer works hard in his own-zone, and pushes pace on aggressors to remove time and space, but he could use a more pronounced physical game to win more battles, separate his man from the puck, and be more effective in defending his net. He is a willing shot-blocker though, gets into lanes, intercepts passes, and is a trusted penalty-killer. Schaefer will finish checks, and will battle for pucks in the trenches, but he isn't the most physical player; he can play through contact, and doesn't shy away from the rough stuff, but would be more effective in certain situations if he were to add a more physical dimension to his game. Schaefer Captained Team Canada to Gold at last summer's Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, which shows that he has leadership intangibles, and he sets an example with his unrelenting motor, and his high-end work-ethic. He is also a minute-muncher- able to play big minutes in important situations. Despite some small, fixable flaws, he is a sure-fire top-pairing D-man, with a solid two-way game. Look for him at # 1 in the Draft.