Schaefer wins Calder, Islanders defenseman surprised with trophy on ‘GMA3’
“Less than a year ago, he was at a Toronto Maple Leaf playoff game in the front row with an Auston Matthews jersey chanting, ‘Go Leafs go!’ He was a fan of the game and that’s it. The amount of things that have happened since then… we didn’t know if he was ready for the NHL, we didn’t know if he’d play more than 10 games. “Just to see the progression, it’s the icing on the cake.”
“Very proud,” Johnathon stated. “It happened the way it was supposed to, and I couldn’t be happier for him.”
Schaefer set the League file for factors by an 18-year-old defenseman, tied the single-season NHL file for many objectives by a rookie defenseman and have become the primary defenseman in additional than 90 years to guide rookies in objectives (tied or outright).
He is the primary Islanders participant to win the award since ahead Matthew Barzal in 2017-18 and sixth of their historical past. At 18 years, 223 days on the ultimate day of the common season, Schaefer is the youngest Calder Trophy winner in NHL historical past, sooner or later youthful than Colorado Avalanche middle Nathan MacKinnon in 2013-14 (18 years, 224 days).
Schaefer was considered one of three finalists for the Calder, alongside with forwards Ivan Demidov (Montreal Canadiens) and Beckett Sennecke (Anaheim Ducks).
“It’s definitely an honor to see so many great names on that trophy,” the Islanders defenseman stated. “It’s positively a dream come true. Obviously, Demidov and Sennecke, they’re nice gamers they usually might have gained it too. I believe any of us might have gained it, as a result of all of us had nice years, particularly them too. They’ve executed nice issues for the League.
“It’s definitely an honor and it’s a privilege to have this trophy.”
It was introduced Monday that Schaefer, with the assistance of a $150,000 donation from the Islanders Children’s Foundation, has partnered with Northwell Health to open the Jennifer Schaefer Child Support Center on the RJ Zuckerberg Cancer Center in New Hyde Park, New York, in honor of her late mom.
Once the middle opens in October, Schaefer will make a number of visits all year long to supply smiles for these going via an analogous expertise he had.
“He is in such a good place on the ice and off the ice,” Todd Schaefer stated. “Whether it’s the Islanders, whether it’s the Martin family, it’s just everybody. He’s just set up for success.”
